The Delhi High Court was informed Friday that former finance minister P Chidambaram, lodged in Tihar jail in the INX Media money laundering case, is fine and does not require hospitalisation.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta read out the report of AIIMS Medical Board, set up on the court’s order to examine Chidambaram’s health condition, and said the Congress leader does not require a sterile environment.

Provide clean and hygienic surrounding

Justice Suresh Kait, who was hearing Chidambaram’s interim bail plea, directed the Tihar jail superintendent to provide clean and hygienic surrounding to the 74-year old Congress leader as also home-cooked food, mineral water, mosquito protection net and repellent. The court also directed that Chidambaram’s medical check up be done regularly.

The court disposed of the plea after senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Chidambaram, said they do not require any further direction. The court had on Thursday directed the AIIMS director to constitute a medical board to give opinion on the health of Chidambaram, who is suffering from Crohn’s disease. Crohn’s disease refers to the inflammation of the digestive tract leading to abdominal pain, diarrhoea and also weight loss.

Interim bail plea

The high court had said that the Hyderabad-based gastroenterologist Nageshwar Reddy, who has been treating the Congress leader, be included in the board to give his opinion on Chidambaram’s medical condition. Chidambaram has sought interim bail in the case, filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), on medical grounds saying his condition is deteriorating and he needs to be in a sterile environment.

He has sought interim relief for six days to enable him to consult and get examined by his regular doctor, Reddy, at the Asian Institute of Gastroenterology (AIG) in Hyderabad. He has claimed that he needs “urgent medical treatment for the acute and persistent abdominal pain being experienced” by him since October 5 due to Crohn’s disease which he was diagnosed with in 2017.

The court was informed that Chidambaram’s weight has reduced from 73 kg to 66 kg, which showed that his condition was deteriorating in custody. The court in its order directed the AIIMS medical board to give opinion on Chidambaram’s condition, especially on whether he requires admission in sterile environment at the hospital. It asked the AIIMS director to constitute the board by 4 pm and the team of doctors will include Reddy.

The court made it clear that the board will meet at 7 pm and if Reddy is unable to reach here from Hyderabad, the board will sit on Friday at 10 am and give its opinion. The interim bail application was filed in Chidambaram’s pending bail plea which is listed for hearing on November 4.

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