Delhi: HC asks AIIMS to provide urgent treatment to undertrial Maoist

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday came to the help of a jailed suspected Maoist, who needs urgent surgery for brain tumour, by asking city police and AIIMS authorities to provide "immediate treatment" to him. Chandan Deonath, 38, who has been in Saraikela jail in Jamshedpur district of Jharkhand since November 27, 2007 for his alleged Maoist activities, is partially paralyzed and has been presently "housed in a verandah" of Hauz Khas police station since September 9, awaiting his turn for a surgery at AIIMS, according to a plea.

Deonath is suffering from life-threatening Brain Tumour and Penial Tumour With Hydro-Cphalus, it said. A bench of Justice Vibhu Bakhru took note of the plea filed through Peoples' Union For Democratic RIGHTS [PUDR] and asked the SHO, Hauz Khas Police Station and the authorities at AIIMS to "provide immediate medical treatment to undertrial prisoner" and listed the case tomorrow again for hearing.

"This is a matter of life and death," senior advocate Colin Gonsalves said and sought urgent directions for AIIMS and Delhi police on the issue. Deonath and the PUDR, in their plea filed through lawyers Rishabh Sancheti, Padma Priya and Ashish Virmani, has sought directions that the undertrial be "provided with appropriate medical care, on an immediate basis".

"Respondents (Centre, AIIMS, Jharkhand and Delhi Police) must fix accountability for the inhuman treatment met out to Petitioner no. 1, so that such violation of fundamental rights be forthwith proscribed," the plea said.

"Respondents must be directed to institute a mechanism, by empaneling hospitals, and providing the Police/Jail authorities with details thereof; so as to eliminate the chances of an incident like the present happening ever again," it said.

Deonath was initially treated at Ranchi Institute of Medical Sciences and was diagnosed with a Brain Tumour, Penial Tumour With Hydro-Cphalus and found to be in need of surgery. He was then referred to AIIMS on August 29 for the surgery and has been housed at the verandah in the police station in an "inhuman condition" and is waiting for the surgery as the queue is long at the AIIMS, the plea said, adding that he has also suffered paralysis on the right side.