Supreme Court Orders To Shift Alleged Maoist Gautam Navlakha To Mumbai's Jaslok Hospital

The Supreme Court today directed the Taloja jail superintendent to immediately shift activist Gautam Navlakha, jailed in connection with the Elgar Parishad-Maoist link case, to Mumbai's Jaslok hospital for treatment.

The Court said that receiving medical treatment is a fundamental right of a prisoner.

A Bench of Justice K M Joseph and Justice Hrishikesh Roy also allowed Navlakha's partner Sabha Husain and sister to meet him in the hospital.

"Having heard the counsel for parties, we are of the view that receiving medical treatment would be a fundamental right. We direct that the petitioner be taken immediately for thorough medical check up", the Bench directed.

"Accordingly, we direct Superintendent Taloja jail to take the petitioner to Jaslok hospital so that he is able to undergo requisite medical check up and receive treatment. We make it clear that the petitioner will remain in police custody," the Bench said.

The 70-year-old has appealed the Apex Court against the April 26 order of the Bombay High Court dismissing his plea for house arrest over apprehensions of lack of adequate medical and other basic facilities in Taloja jail near Mumbai where he is lodged.

The Bombay High Court had dismissed the petition filed Gautam Navlakha praying that he be placed under house arrest instead of being lodged in prison. The Division Bench of Justice S B Shukre and Justice G A Sanap had held that his grievances and apprehensions about the lack of medical aid and basic facilities at the Taloja prison in Navi Mumbai, where he is currently lodged, are "ill-founded".

Subsiquently, the Special NIA Court in Mumbai had rejected the bail plea of Gautam Navlakha.

With PTI inputs