The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered activist Gautam Navlakha, who was arrested in 2018 in the Bhima Koregaon case, to be taken immediately for a thorough medical check-up.
A Bench of Justices K.M. Joseph and Hrishikesh Roy ordered the Superintendent, Taloja Central Prison, Navi Mumbai, to take Navlakha immediately to the Jaslok Hospital, Mumbai (Mr. Navlakha’s choice of hospital).
“We are of the view that the petitioner who is an undertrial prisoner and ...what is far more important is the right of an undertrial prisoner to seek medical treatment and this would be a fundamental right. We therefore pass an order directing the petitioner to be taken immediately for a thorough medical check-up,” the Bench directed.
Mr. Navlakha, the court said, would remain in police custody during his stay at the hospital.
“We further direct that Sahba Husain (partner of the petitioner) and Mridula Kothari (sister of the petitioner) alone will be permitted to interact with the petitioner in the hospital which we permit as per the rules of the hospital. The hospital authority will send up the report to this court by the next date of hearing,” the court order said. The Bench, however, did not for now consider the larger question of allowing Mr. Navlakha, who is in his 70s, to be shifted to house arrest. The court listed the case for further hearing on October 21.
