"Heartbreaking": AAP On Pictures Of "Frail" Jailed Party Leader At Delhi Hospital

Jailed former Delhi minister Satyendar Jain was Monday examined at the Safdarjung Hospital for a spine problem, according to officials, as pictures of a "frail and weak" looking AAP leader prompted a sharp reaction from the party which accused the BJP of "wanting to kill" him.

Jain, who has been lodged at Tihar Jail since his arrest in connection with a money laundering case last year, was taken to the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Hospital on Saturday, but he wanted a second opinion and was hence taken to the Safdarjung Hospital, a senior jail official said.

"Jain visited the neurosurgery OPD in the morning and after being examined by the doctors there, he left. He was accompanied by police," said a spokesperson of the Safdarjung Hospital.

Jain was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on May 30 last year in connection with a money laundering case.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal shared a photo on Twitter that purportedly showed an emaciated and frail-looking Jain sitting in a chair at the hospital and two police personnel standing there.

"I pray to god for his better health. The people of Delhi are watching the arrogance and atrocities of the BJP. Even god will not forgive these oppressors. In this struggle, the people are with us and god is by our side. We are followers of Bhagat Singh and our fight against oppression, injustice and dictatorship will continue," he tweeted in Hindi.

The party said in a statement, "The images captured at the Safdarjung Hospital this morning present a heartbreaking sight, as he appears as nothing more than a living skeleton, frail and weak, struggling to even walk." AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh also targeted the BJP and accused them of "wanting to kill" Jain.

"Clap and celebrate BJP! But remember he (Jain) is the same man who tested Covid positive, lost his father, yet didn't hold back in serving the people of Delhi. The BJP wants to kill Satyendar Jain. This level of cruelty is not acceptable, Modi ji!" he said in a tweet in Hindi.

Last week senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Jain, had told the Supreme Court the former minister has lost 35 kg and virtually became a skeleton. He is also suffering from various ailments, he had said.  

The party said in a statement on Monday his health has deteriorated during his time in jail, and he requires urgent medical attention.

He was taken to the Safdarjung Hospital in the morning after he complained of extreme spinal pain, owing to his longstanding spinal condition after a fall in jail, it said. 

The senior leader's condition has deteriorated after a debilitating injury from a fall in the jail washroom, which resulted in a spinal injury leaving him in excruciating pain, the party said, adding he requires an immediate spinal surgery, as recommended by his attending doctors.

The AAP said an MRI conducted on May 3 showed degeneration in all intervertebral discs of Jain leading the doctors to advise urgent spinal/vertebral surgery and proper post-operative care. However, he has been placed at No. 416 on a waiting list by Jail authorities, and is expected to be able to undergo the surgery only after a further five months, it said.

He is also suffering from sleep apnea with his breathing frequently seizing during sleep at night. He has to sleep with the assistance of a BiPAP machine which continuously pushes air into his lungs.

On account of his religious beliefs, he has pledged to not consume a single grain of food before he visits a temple. He only consumes fruits and raw vegetables inside the jail, the party said.

He has lost 35 kilograms due to the effects of muscular atrophy, it said.

"His spirit has been severely tested, and the weight of depression has settled upon him," the statement said.

The opposition BJP has targeted AAP after purported videos of Jain getting massage inside the jail had emerged last year.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)