Provide Mineral Water, Face Mask To P Chidambaram, Court Orders Tihar Jail As AIIMS Says No To Hospitalisation

The AIIMS medical board on Friday said that there was no need to hospitalise for Union Minister P Chidambaram, who has been jailed in the INX media case. Disposing the interim plea, Delhi Court gave direction to Tihar Jail Superintendent to keep Chidambaram's cell clean and provide mineral water, protection against mosquitoes and he should be provided a face mask.

On Thursday, the Delhi High Court had directed the AIIMS chief to form a medical board to give opinion on the health of former finance minister P Chidambaram, who is suffering from Crohn's disease. Hyderabad-based gastroenterologist Nageshwara Redy will be part of the board to give his opinion on Chidambaram's medical condition. The senior Congress leader is currently lodged in Tihar Jail. The AIIMS board was been ordered to give its report by Friday. The order came during the hearing where Chidambaram had sought interim bail in the INX media money laundering case on medical grounds, saying his condition is deteriorating and he needs to be in a sterile environment.

Justice Suresh Kait said the board will sit today to discuss Chidambaram's medical condition and the report be placed before the court which will hear the matter on Friday.

Earlier on Wednesday, a Delhi court sent Chidambaram to judicial custody till November 13 in the INX Media money laundering case. Special judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar dismissed the plea of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for one day custodial interrogation of Chidambaram.

The court directed Tihar authorities to provide Chidambaram with medicines, western toilet, security and separate cell. It also said the senior Congress leader may be allowed to have home-cooked food considering his medical condition.

Chidambaram was arrested by the CBI on August 21 in the INX Media corruption case and is currently in the ED custody in a related money laundering matter.

The CBI had registered an FIR on May 15, 2017 alleging irregularities in a Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance granted to the INX Media group for receiving overseas funds of Rs 305 crore in 2007, during Chidambaram's tenure as finance minister.

Thereafter, the ED lodged a money-laundering case in this regard in 2017. The ED had taken him in to custody on October 16 this year.

Crohn's disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease that may affect any segment of the gastrointestinal tract from the mouth to the anus. Symptoms often include abdominal pain, diarrhoea (which may be bloody if inflammation is severe), fever, and weight loss. Bowel obstruction may also occur as a complication of chronic inflammation. Diagnosis is based on a number of findings including biopsy and appearance of the bowel wall, medical imaging and description of the disease.

(With agency inputs)