The National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Maharashtra government on Monday sought time from the Bombay High Court to reply to the interim medical bail plea filed by poet-activist P. Varavara Rao, 81, admitted to Nanavati Hospital.
A Division Bench of Justices S.S. Shinde and S.P. Tavade was hearing a criminal appeal filed on behalf of Mr. Rao, accused in the Bhima Koregaon case, through advocate R. Sathyanarayanan. He has appealed against rejection of his bail by the sessions court.
Mr. Rao was hallucinating and feeling giddy at Taloja Central jail and was taken to J.J. Hospital, where he tested COVID-19 positive on July 16. Advocate Sudeep Pasbola appearing for Mr. Rao said that his condition was critical. The court wanted to know if it wouldn’t be counterproductive to move him out of the hospital. Also, the court asked, how can the family meet him if he has COVID-19?
Mr. Pasbola said the family would take precautions. Public prosecutor Deepak Thakare said videoconferencing could be arranged at the hospital for the family to see Mr. Rao. However, Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh representing NIA said what was known is that COVID-19 patients could not be permitted to meet anyone.
He added Mr. Rao has been admitted to one of the best hospitals in the city and that he was being taken care of in accordance with guidelines issued by the Indian Council of Medical Research.
Mr. Thakare and Mr. Singh sought some time to file their reply.
Meanwhile, the same Bench also directed the State and NIA to file their replies on another petition filed by Mr. Rao against prison authorities seeking that directions be issued to them to submit detailed report along with medical papers of the treatment and course of action followed by them following his hurried discharge from JJ Hospital on June 2, 2020.
