Mumbai: The Arthur Road Jail authorities have assured the Bombay high court that they will provide necessary medical treatment to incarcerated builder Yusuf Lakdawala who has been diagnosed with metastasis (the development of secondary malignant growths at a distance from a primary site of cancer).
Additional public prosecutor Jayesh Yagnik informed the division bench of justice SS Shinde and N Jamadar that they will be providing Lakdawala with medical treatment.
The HC was hearing a petition filed by Lakdawala seeking bail on medical grounds. Pending hearing in the petition, he has sought interim bail for getting medical treatment at a hospital.
Abhinav Chandrachud, counsel for Lakdawala, informed the court that the builder’s medical report suggested that he was diagnosed with metastasis. Seeking bail on compassionate grounds, Chandrachud argued: “Medical bail may be granted so that he can get proper medical treatment at hospital".
Following earlier HC order, the Arthur Road Jail authorities, had taken Lakdawala to Tata Memorial Hospital to undergo certain tests to check relapse of life-threatening disease for which he had undergone treatment in 2009.
While submitting Lakdawala’s medical report, Chandrachud said that they had earlier thought that the cancer had relapsed and had affected his lungs. However, the report suggests that it has metastasized and spread to other parts of the body.
Hiten Venegavkar, counsel for the Enforcement Directorate (ED) suggested that instead of granting bail, the court can direct the jail authorities to provide necessary medical treatment to Lakdawala.
“Grant of relief of bail will open floodgates. Every accused suffers from some or the other health problem,” argued Venegavkar.
To this Chandrachud replied: “It is true that every accused suffers from some illness but in his (Lakdawala’s) it’s a terminal, serious ailment. It would amount to death sentence to keep him in jail.”
On a court query, Chandrachud said that his bail application was pending before the single judge of HC. The special court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act had rejected Lakdawala’s bail plea which he challenged before single judge of HC.
“That application is seeking bail on merit and not on compassionate grounds. Hence we have filed this petition (before a division bench),” argued Chandrachud.
The HC has kept the matter for hearing on August 24.
