Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Friday sought a fresh report on the prevailing conditions of the Byculla women's prison and whether safeguards such as social distancing are being implemented. The directive to the NIA and the Maharashtra government was issued while hearing the plea filed by human rights' activist Sudha Bharadwaj.
A bench of Justices Sambhaji Shinde and Madhav Jamdar was dealing with a plea filed by Bharadwaj seeking bail on medical grounds. The plea was filed after a special court designated to hear NIA cases, denied her bail on May 29.
In her plea, Bharadwaj, a diabetic, claimed that no proper safeguards were being implemented inside the Byculla cell. She claimed that since she is a patient of hypertension, she was more prone to get infected by the virus.
Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh, representing the NIA, opposed her request for medical bail. He assured the judges that the jail authorities are taking proper care of all the inmates and that all medication was being provided to Bharadwaj.
ASG also furnished a report stating that her health is stable as on date.
Having considered the submission, the judges opined that a fresh report was mandatory. "Let there be a fresh report regarding the prevailing conditions inside the jail. If all safeguards are in place," Justice Shinde ordered while posting the matter for hearing till July 17.
Bharadwaj along with a dozen of activists has been arrested for allegedly plotting to kill the PM and for instigating the Bhima-Koregaon violence.
