Special Judge Rajesh Katariya had on Tuesday sought a report from Taloja jail on the plea moved on behalf of Gonsalves. (AP/File)A special court on Thursday directed the jail superintendent of Taloja Central prison to personally remain present before it next week and explain why no reply was submitted on a plea filed on behalf of 65-year-old activist Vernon Gonsalves seeking urgent medical care.
Gonsalves, an accused in the Elgaar Parishad case, has tested positive for dengue and suspected pneumonia. It was submitted to the court that despite having high fever since August 30, he was not given proper medical care at the jail.
He is currently admitted at the state-run JJ Hospital and has been put on oxygen support, Gonsalves’s wife and lawyer Susan Abraham said. Gonsalves has sought temporary bail on medical grounds.
On Thursday, an affidavit was filed before the court by lawyer Larsen Furtado, who submitted that he had visited Taloja jail on Wednesday for legal interviews with other accused in the Elgaar Parishad case. He was informed by Sagar Gorkhe that Gonsalves’s health was deteriorating to the extent that he could not breathe or walk properly but despite this he was only being given paracetamol. For three days, his fever kept recurring and he was taken to the jail hospital only on September 2, Furtado’s affidavit stated. He was given antibiotics and sent back to his barracks.
On September 4, he was administered an injection but no check-up was done and his condition kept deteriorating, the affidavit added. Till September 6, the activist was kept in the barracks and only after he pleaded with the jail authorities, was he taken to JJ Hospital on a wheelchair. However, he was again sent back from the hospital to the jail late at night, the affidavit further stated.
Special Judge Rajesh Katariya had on Tuesday sought a report from Taloja jail on the plea moved on behalf of Gonsalves. Till Thursday, no reply was
filed.