Delhi Court Notice To Tihar Jail Authorities Over Satyendar Jain's Plea For Food

A Special Court of Rouse Avenue Court on Tuesday sought a response from Tihar Jail Authorities on jailed Delhi Minister Satyendar Jain's plea for direction 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 Special Judge Vikas Dhull on Tuesday listed the matter for tomorrow and issued notice to Tihar Jail Authorities related to the Food and health status of Satyender Jain.

The same Court also heard the detailed arguements on a contempt plea moved by Satyneder Jain's legal team alleging ED for leaking CCTV footage of Satyender Jain despite there was undertaking not to leak any content of that pen drive containing video of inside Tihar Jail. The court posted the matter for November 28, 2022.

In his plea, Satyendar 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 is 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 the 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, and arbitrary and amounts to harassment of applicants 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.

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