Special Court Asks Hospital for Medical Report of Jailed Activist Varavara Rao; Family Demands Immediate Release

Activist Varavara Rao, who has been arrested and is in jail in Maharashtra in the Elgar Parishad case, was admitted to a hospital in Mumbai, said police, while his family members on Saturday demanded his immediate release on bail.

“It is learnt that Sri Varavar Rao has been admitted to JJ Hospital at Mumbai while in judicial custody.The matter is being informed to family members and necessary passes are being issued by DCP CZ for family to travel to Mumbai. We are coordinating with agencies at Mumbai,” tweeted Hyderabad Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar.

The 80-year-old is currently lodged at the Taloja jail at Navi Mumbai. His wife Hemalatha in a statement on Saturday expressed serious concern over his health condition.

Meanwhile, a special court in Mumbai on Saturday directed state-run JJ Hospital to submit a medical report of Rao. His lawyers on Saturday urged the court, hearing his interim bail plea, to direct the hospital to submit the report. The fact that the accused has been shifted to hospital shows that the matter is serious, their application said. Therefore, it would be necessary to see the medical report and present condition of the accused while hearing his bail plea, it added.

Allowing the application, the court asked for a report from the hospital on Rao’s medical condition.

Rao’s wife said the family came to know from police in Hyderabad on Friday night that he was admitted to hospital. The information available to the family about his health and the sequence of events preceding his admission to hospital in Mumbai is unclear, she said.

“.. meanwhile, the statement by Telangana police officials that they would make arrangements for the family to visit Mumbai, is much more worrying,” she said. On her part, she is not in a position to travel to Mumbai right now as she is 72 and not in good health. A legal attempt to get permission for the family to meet him is being undertaken in Mumbai, she said.

“It is enough if the government gives permission needed in the context of COVID-19 and we take care of our travel arrangements,” she added.

She requested the Centre and the governments of Maharashtra and Telangana to arrange a video conference with him immediately to enable the family members to know the actual status of his health condition.

As Rao has already undergone 18 months of incarceration on “fabricated charges and without any trial”, he should be released immediately on bail, Hemalatha said.

Saying that Rao had pre-existing health issues like coronary artery disease and hypertension, she said a thorough

medical examination should be done by an expert team of doctors to ascertain what led to the “present emergency”. The Union Home Ministry should direct the NIA to give up the “vindictive” attitude towards Rao and other co-accused. Union MoS (Home) G Kishan Reddy, a Telugu person, should take this responsibility, she said.

“It is the responsibility of the Telangana government to take care of Varavara Rao’s health and security as he took part in the separate Telangana agitation since 1969 as a worthy son of Telangana,” she added.

Reddy, who addressed a video press conference from Delhi, said he would act as per law. “Definitely, we want the health of all to be good. We will think as to what help we can do as per law. It is not a matter to be stated openly. We always have a humanitarian approach. We will think accordingly,” he said.

Eleven people including Rao have been arrested in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist link case which was transferred to the National Investigation Agency by the Centre in January. The case relates to alleged inflammatory speeches made at the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune in December 31, 2017, which the police claimed triggered violence the next

day near the Koregaon-Bhima war memorial. The Pune police also claimed that the conclave was backed by Maoists.