Kobad Ghandy’s medical treatment plea rejected

NEW DELHI - A city court dismissed Thursday an application of Maoist leader Kobad Ghandy for permission to be treated at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) or the Safdarjung Hospital.

Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Kaveri Baweja said that after going through the reports submitted by the Tihar jail authorities and the jail’s medical officer, there was no need to issue any direction on Ghandy’s application.

Tihar Jail superintendent and senior medical officer submitted before the court Ghandy’s medical report showing that he is being given adequate medical treatment.

They said Ghandy is also regularly being taken for his physiotherapy sessions and the jail authorities have taken him outside for treatment too, when needed.

Ghandy was “unhappy” with his medical treatment given by the jail authorities at Gobind Ballabh Pant Hospital and the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital, claiming that his health is deteriorating and he continued to suffer from pain in different parts of the body.

Ghandy is lodged in Tihar Jail and is in judicial custody. He was arrested Sep 20 last year.

Accused of trying to set up a network of the outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist in Delhi, he was arrested under provisions of stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Police also booked him for various other offences under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) relating to cheating, forgery and impersonation.