The Delhi High Court had on October 13 dismissed the petitions filed by Prabir Purkayastha.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed AIIMS to constitute a medical board to examine the health condition of NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha, who is currently lodged in Tihar jail in the case registered against him under the anti-terrorism law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Are closed.
The bench of Justice BR Gavai and Justice Sandeep Mehta asked the Director of AIIMS to constitute a board and submit a report within two weeks.
“Considering all this, it would be appropriate that the medical condition be examined by a board appointed by the AIIMS director. The board will also consider the jail records and complete medical history of the petitioner,” it said.
The direction came after senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Purkayastha, said the report filed by jail authorities regarding the medical condition of his client was not correct.
The Delhi High Court on October 13 had dismissed petitions filed by Purkayastha and the news portal’s HR department head Amit Chakraborty against their arrest and subsequent police remand in the case.
Both were arrested by the Special Cell of Delhi Police on 3 October.
According to the FIR lodged in the case, huge funds allegedly came to the news portal from China to “disrupt the sovereignty of India” and create disaffection against the country.
It also alleged that Purkayastha conspired with a group – People’s Alliance for Democracy and Secularism (PADS) – to disrupt the electoral process during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
