Delhi High Court orders medical board to examine PC

New Delhi:Delhi High Court Justice Suresh Kait on Thursday passed a direction to All India Institute of Medical Sciences to constitute a Board of Doctors and examine whether former Finance Minister and Indian National Congress leader P Chidambaram health conditions required him to be admitted in a sterile environment in the premier hospital and place it before the court.

A Delhi Special Court yesterday rejected the plea of one day ED custody of Chidambaram and remanded him to judicial custody till November 13 in INX Media case. Central Bureau of Investigation had registered an FIR in the month of May 2017 over alleged irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board clearance to INX Media for receiving overseas funds of ?305 crore in 2007, when Chidambaram was Finance Minister.

CBI arrested Chidambaram from his residence at New Delhi on August 21 this year.

Directorate of Enforcement has registered a case under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act and got custodial interrogation of Chidambaram to unravel the proceeds of crime in the matter.

CBI, after probe, filed a charge sheet on October 18 naming Chidambaram and  several others as an accused in INX Media case and Court took cognizance on the charge sheet.

The Supreme Court on October 22 granted bail to Chidambaram in the CBI case by rejecting the plea of the agency that he may pressurise the witnesses or was a flight risk.

It was submitted on behalf Chidambaram that he was admitted to AIIMS on October 28 and requested  bail for his treatment at Hyderabad.

Counsel further submitted that Dr D. Nageshwar Reddy of Asian Institute of Gastroenterology, Hyderabad after examining the report of Chidambaram advised that inflammation in his intestines was due to increase in Crohn's disease. He requested the court that Chidambaram either be sent to Hyderabad or admitted to Apollo Hospital in New Delhi so that Dr. Reddy could treat him as he was in very serious condition and lost weight due to the ailment.

Counsel for ED opposed the plea of Chidambaram to send him to Hyderabad and submitted that Investigating Agency has no issues if he is treated at AIIMS.

Justice Kait today after hearing the plea on behalf of both sides passed a direction to  AIIMS to constitute a Board of Doctors and examine the health conditions of Chidambaram claiming suffering from Crohn's disease and required him admitted in a sterile environment in the premier hospital. The court further directed that the Board must include Dr Reddy, Chidambaram's family physician.(UNI)