Satyendar Jain seeks direction for food as per his religious beliefs, conducting medical checkup
Nov 21, 2022
New Delhi [India], November 21 : Jailed Delhi Minister Satyendar Jain on Monday moved a trial court, seeking direction to Tihar Jail authorities to provide food as per his religious beliefs and to immediately conduct a medical check-up of the applicant which has been due since October 21.
The plea stated that the jail administration has stopped providing Satyendar Jain/applicant with basic food items as per his religious beliefs which include fruits, vegetables, mixed seeds, dry fruits, and dates.
As the applicant has been on a religious fast for the last 6 months, the dietary intake of such basic food items are necessary for his sustenance, nourishment, and survival. Due to the said religious fast, there is a serious risk of protein and iron deficiency, the plea stated.
The plea has been moved before Special Judge Vikas Dhull, which is likely to be heard on Tuesday along with other pending applications. The same court recently dismissed bail for Jain and two others in the case.
The Enforcement Directorate had arrested Jain in a money laundering case based on a CBI FIR lodged against him in 2017 under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Jain is accused of having laundered money through four companies allegedly linked to him.
The plea further stated that due to the withdrawal of food items being provided to the applicant, he has alarmingly lost 2 kg of weight in the last week. In total since the day of his arrest, he has lost 28 kg in the last six months which is indicative of applicant's debilitating health status. It is his most basic human right to have food to survive. The said stoppage of food items during the religious fast is illegal, arbitrary and amounts to harassment of applicant within the Jail premises.
The plea also stated that the applicant was due for a medical check-up including MRI Scans on the October 21 and the same was not allowed to be done by the jail authorities, citing one excuse or another, ultimately delaying it till now for 30 days.
That the applicant has had a history of severe medical illness - the post-COVID cardio-pulmonary issues, falling in jail toilet causing damage to his nerve endings and an injury in the spine - for which the Applicant has been admitted to hospital- both prison and referral, and has been operated on twice under anaesthesia, whereby injections were administered to block the nerves causing pain and the applicant's recovery was then advised to be augmented with a physiotherapy regimen.
