Bombay High Court asks NIA whether Sadhvi will be treated at Tata Hospital

MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court today sought to know from National Investigation Agency (NIA) whether Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, a key accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, would be provided treatment at Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital here.

Justice R C Chavan also asked the agency to file a reply by February 5 on Sadhvi's bail application and inform whether it had any objection in granting bail to her on medical grounds.

NIA counsel Rohini Salian submitted that even if they were prepared to provide treatment to her at the city-based premier Government hospital, Sadhvi should be willing to undergo the medical care there.

Sadhvi's counsel Mahesh Jethmalani has maintained that his client needed bail to get herself treated in hospital. She did not want to undergo treatment in police custody.

Salian, on the other hand, submitted that Sadhvi can undergo treatment in hospital while she is in police custody and all necessary help would be extended to the accused.

The court had earlier remarked Sadhvi was not well and that she would not run away from the trial if granted bail. In such cases, bail is generally given. Do you want to see her alive or not?, the Judge had asked NIA.

During last hearing, the Court had asked Sadhvi to inform whether she wanted to undergo cancer surgery in Mumbai or in Bhopal, where she is currently lodged in the Central jail in connection with a murder case.

Sadhvi's lawyers Jethmalani and Ganesh Sovani had submitted that Jawaharlal Nehru Cancer hospital in Bhopal had conducted a mammography test on her recently and opined that she was suffering from breast cancer.

The Judge had asked Sadhvi to exercise her choice of undergoing medical care in Bhopal or Mumbai and inform the court.