Nawab Malik hospitalised as condition serious, court told
PMLA court seeks report on Maha minister’s condition from JJ Hospital
MUMBAI: Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik has been shifted to JJ Hospital for treatment after his condition became serious Monday morning, the special PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002) court was informed on Monday.
The special court has sought a report from the state-run hospital and posted the application filed by the 63-year-old NCP leader, for six-week temporary bail on medical grounds, on May 5. Malik filed the plea on April 28, claiming that he had been suffering from kidney-related complications due to the formation of a renal cyst and the JJ Hospital has recommended that he undergo surgery. On Monday, when the plea came up for hearing, Malik’s lawyer Kushal Mor informed the special judge RN Rokade that Malik was suffering from fever and loose motions for the past three days and had to be shifted to JJ Hospital on a stretcher on Monday morning, as his condition deteriorated.
Unaware of this, the special court observed that the jail authorities had not sent any communication regarding Malik’s hospitalisation. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) too expressed concern as the agency’s counsel Sunil Gonsalves and Shreeram Sirsat submitted that the jail officers should have sent a report to the court if Malik required hospitalisation.
Mor said that on Monday when Malik’s family members went to Arthur Road jail to provide him home food, they were informed that the NCP leader was shifted to hospital. They were told that his condition deteriorated and had to be taken to the hospital in an emergency and urged the court to allow him to be shifted to a private hospital in view of the 63-year-old’s medical history. The lawyer said JJ hospital does not have facilities for conducting several advanced tests.
Gonsalves objected to the prayer and claimed that JJ hospital was one of the best staterun hospitals equipped with all facilities and requested the court to call for a report from the head of the department to check on the line of treatment required and see if all necessary facilities were available at the hospital.
After hearing both sides, the court directed the dean of the JJ hospital to submit a report on Malik’s health condition. The court has directed the ED to collect the report and also to verify if the hospital had all the facilities and tests available which are required for the minister’s treatment.
JJ Hospital said that Malik is presently under observation in the intensive care unit (ICU). According to the hospital spokesperson, Malik was brought to the hospital on Monday morning after he had an upset stomach.
“He was brought to the hospital around 10 am with an upset stomach. Necessary investigations were done. His blood pressure was fluctuating. He is stable but currently admitted in the ICU and will be under observation for 24 hours,” said the hospital spokesperson. ED arrested Malik on February 23 in connection with a money laundering case registered against fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim and some of his close aides.