Prisoner tests +ve 12 days after EoW said his condition OK

Nagpur: A 65-year-old Nagpur Central jail inmate with comorbidities was admitted for heart-related problem couple of days ago at Super Speciality Hospital (SSH) and tested positive for Covid-19 on Friday. Citing report of the chief medical officer of Central Jail, the Economic Offences Wing (EoW) in its reply to Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court on July 20 had opposed a bail plea claiming his condition was satisfactory and his co-prioners were in good health.
The prisoner, a former MLA, was admitted to GMCH Covid-19 isolation ward on Friday.
The Central Jail had reported 306 Covid-19 patients, including police personnel, their family members, doctors and prisoners, till July 9. Following security issues and other reasons, the jail administration temporarily halted testing of remaining prisoners and claimed that testing and treatment will be done in case of symptoms. For couple of days, the prisoners had also observed hunger strike pleading for testing and treatment.
On July 9, son of the former MLA filed a petition in HC pleading for temporary bail citing spread of Covid-19 in jail and stated his father was having blood pressure, hypertension, depression and serious heart ailments. Petitioner also claimed that during custody the prisoner was admitted for eight days to SSH for heart-related problems and his health was deteriorating due to lack of medical facilities inside the prison.
The HC issued notice to EoW. In its reply, EoW said, “Applicant was seeking bail in connection with crime registered under section 406, 409, 420, 465, 471, 477-A, 120-B and 201 of IPC. The prisoner had surrendered before the special court on November 5, 2019 and is in custody since then. As per the Central Prison’s report, issued under the guidance of chief medical officer, the general condition of the prisoner is satisfactory and he is being provided medication as advised by two government hospitals.”
The EoW also stated that the report further gives reference of the co-inmates being satisfactorily in good health. “Thus, there is no ground made out by the applicant for releasing him on temporary bail,” the EoW said.
SP of Central Jail Anup Kumar Kumre did not respond to TOI’s repeated calls and message. The former MLA’s son said, “Covid-19 guidelines are not at all followed in Central Jail which resulted into large number of prisoners contracting the disease.”
The prisoner’s advocate Devendra Chauhan said, “The condition inside the jail is very critical. There are no proper arrangements. Senior citizens with comorbidities should be considered for temporary bail and can be monitored with Aarogya Setu app and other mechanism.”