HC Relief For Activist Varavara Rao, Shifted To Nanavati Hospital For Treatment

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government on Wednesday agreed to shift jailed poet-activist Varavara Rao, an accused in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case, to the Nanavati Hospital in Mumbai for treatment for 15 days.

This was after the intervention of a  Mumbai High Court bench of Justices S S Shinde and Madhav Jamdar, the state said it will shift Rao (81), who is lodged as an under-trial in the Taloja prison in neighbouring Navi Mumbai, to the Nanavati Hospital as a "special case". The cost of Rao's treatment will be borne by the state, the court directed.           

The HC further directed that he should not be discharged from the hospital without informing the court. The state will also have to submit all medical reports of Rao before the court, and Rao's family members should be allowed to meet him at the hospital, the bench said.

The bench passed its orders while hearing a writ petition filed by Rao's wife Hemalata seeking that he be shifted from the Taloja prison hospital to the Nanavati Hospital immediately, since his continued detention was a breach of his fundamental rights.   

The activist's condition was extremely vulnerable as he was suffering from dementia, had developed a urinary tract infection in prison, and his "mental and physical health condition was fast diminishing. His condition needed the intervention of specialists and that he could not be treated at the Taloja prison hospital. The HC said even if Rao was shifted to the Nanavati Hospital, he would continue to be in the NIA's custody. The court will hear the matter next on December 3.

Varavara Rao, who was arrested in June 2018, has been booked by NIA under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. He and some other activists connected to the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune in December 2017 have been accused of having links with Naxals.(Inputs from PTI)