On HC order, AIIMS forms board to assess PC’S health
NEWDELHI:THE All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi on Thursday constituted a board of doctors on the directive of the high court to assess whether former Union minister P Chidambaram, who is in Tihar jail in connection with the INX Media case, should be shifted to a sterile environment in the hospital after he sought urgent bail on health grounds, AIIMS officials who did not wish to be identified said.
Justice Suresh Kait of the Delhi high court had said earlier in the day that the medical team be constituted by 4pm on Thursday to meet and discuss Chidambaram’s condition after he moved to the court on Wednesday for interim bail.
The single-judge bench said that the Hyderabad-based gastroenterologist, Nageshwar Reddy, who has been treating the 74-year-old Congress leader, be included in the board for his opinion on Chidambaram’s condition. The composition of the rest of the medical team that will assess Chicaster dambaram’s state of health was not revealed.
In his bail plea, the Rajya Sabha member said he had been diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in 2017 and should be granted interim bail for six days for his treatment by a family doctor at the Asian Institute of Gastroenterology (AIG) in Hyderabad.
Chidambaram, 74, has been in detention for 70 days in two cases — of corruption and money laundering — linked to alleged irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board granting INX Media clearance to receive foreign direct investment in excess of the approved amount. The clearance was given to the broadon
in 2007, when Chidambaram was finance minister.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) first arrested Chidambaram on August 21 in the case. He was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) two weeks back, days before the Supreme Court granted him bail in the CBI case of corruption. Chidambaram later filed a petition in the high court for regular bail in the second case of money laundering being investigated by the ED as well.
Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, part of Chidambaram’s legal team, contended that his weight had decreased from 73kg to 66kg and his health was deteriorating in custody.
In his plea, Chidambaram contended that after his check-up on October 24 and October 26 at AIIMS, tests were conducted on October 28 at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital. After the medical tests, he was put on steroid treatment for the next 16 weeks. The application added that as his body was not responding to the treatment prescribed at AIIMS, he be allowed to consult his regular doctor in Hyderabad.