No interim bail, but P Chidambaram gets a few amenities

New Delhi: Incarcerated former finance minister P. Chidambaram does not require hospitalisation for his ailments, the Delhi high court was informed on Friday.  The Tihar jail authorities, nonetheless, were directed to take a slew of steps for his wellbeing.

The court was hearing 74-year-old Chidambaram’s plea for interim bail in the money laundering case filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on medical grounds.

The Congress leader had submitted that his condition is deteriorating and needs to be in a sterile environment.

Solicitor general Tushar Mehta read out the report of AIIMS medical board, set up on the court’s order to examine the Congress leader’s health condition, and said he does not require a sterile environment. Justice Suresh Kait, who was hearing Chid-ambaram’s interim bail application, directed the Tihar jail superintendent to provide clean and hygienic surrounding to the veteram Congress leader as also home-cooked food, mineral water, a mosquito protection net and repellent.

The court also directed that Chidambaram’s medical check up be done regularly. The judge directed that Chidambaram’s regular blood pressure monitoring, sugar test and other medical tests should be done and periodical follow up as an out patient be done once a week.

The court disposed of the plea after senior law-yer Kapil Sibal, representing Chidambaram, said they did 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 or the inflammation of the digestive tract leading to abdominal pain, diarrhoea and also weight loss.

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 had sought interim bail in the case filed by the ED, on medical grounds saying his condition is deteriorating and he needs to be in a sterile environment. He had sought interim relief for six days to enable him to consult and get examined by his regular doctor, Dr Reddy, at the Asian Institute of Gastroenterology (AIG) in Hyderabad.

He had 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 earlier informed that Chidambaram’s weight has reduced from 73 kg to 66 kg, which showed that his condition was deteriorating in custody.

Chidambaram, who was sent to Tihar jail on Wednesday till November 13 by the trial court in the INX Media money laundering case, was arrested by the CBI on August 21 in the INX Media corruption case.