After a Delhi court extended P Chidambaram’s judicial custody in the INX Media money laundering case till November 27, on Wednesday, the Congress leader’s family has complained that the treatment being given to him in Tihar jail for Crohn’s disease is not satisfactory and he continues to lose weight due to “aggravation” of the disease.
According to news agency PTI the Chidambaram family says that the former finance minister has lost around 8-9 kgs since his detention. “We are not satisfied with the treatment given to him in prison. He is suffering a lot. He has to be immediately brought under the treatment of noted gastroenterologist in Hyderabad Dr. Nageshwara Reddy as he knows about his health as he had treated him in 2016,” a source said.
After Reddy’s treatment, he was somewhat feeling better, the sources said. “We are waiting for the Delhi High Court’s order on his bail plea which is reserved since November 8,” the source added. Chidambaram was arrested by the CBI on August 21 in the INX Media corruption case.
On Wednesday, Chidambaram was produced before the court through video conference as the lawyers are on strike. The court extended his judicial custody till November 27 in the INX Media money laundering case filed by the Enforcement Directorate.
The Central Bureau of Investigation, on 15 May 2017, had registered an FIR against Chidambaram for alleged irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board clearance provided to INX Media for receiving overseas funds to the tune of Rs 305 crore in 2007 when he was the finance minister.
The money laundering case was registered by the ED in 2018. Earlier, disposing of Chidambaram’s bail plea, the Delhi High Court had directed Tihar Jail authorities to provide him clean surroundings, mineral water, home-cooked food and protection from mosquitoes.
The court had also directed that Chidambaram’s medical check-up be done regularly. Besides Crohn’s disease, the Congress leader, a Rajya Sabha member from Tamil Nadu, also suffers from Dyslipidemia, Coronary Artery Disease, Hypertension, Glycemia and Prostatomegaly
(With inputs from PTI)