NIA court demands explanation from Taloja authorities on delay of treatment
Only on September 5 Gonsalves was shifted to prison hospital as his condition had worsened. “Vernon was taken to the Jail Hospital apparently for tests
Mumbai: The special NIA court on Thursday directed the superintendent of the Taloja Jail to provide proper medical treatment to Vernon Gonsalves, an accused in the Elgar Parishad case, who has been diagnosed with dengue.
It has also reprimanded the prison authority for failing to respond to Gonsalves’s plea for medical treatment till Thursday. On Thursday, Larsen Furtado, one of the lawyers for accused in the case filed an affidavit alleging delay in treatment. He stated he met some of the other accused in prison on Wednesday, when he learnt about Gonsalves’s deteriorating condition.
“Sagar Gorkhe stated that he and the other co-accused insisted that Gonsalves be taken to JJ Hospital for a proper examination, which wasn’t done till his condition deteriorated to the extent where he could barely walk or breathe properly,” reads the affidavit filed by Furtado.
Meanwhile, Gonsalves’s wife Susan visited him at JJ Hospital on Thursday, after obtaining permission from court, where she was informed that he is suspected of having contracted pneumonia. He had earlier tested positive for dengue, and is now on oxygen support.
Furtado said Gonsalves had complained of cough and fever on August 30. “When this was reported to the visiting doctor, he gave him a three-day dose of paracetamol and erythromycin without examining him,” he said in his affidavit.
The accused also informed, him that on September 2, fellow inmates had asked the doctor to examine Gonsalves, as his condition had not improved, and his fever recurred. Repeated requests were ignored and doctors continued to give him medicines without proper diagnosis, Furtado’s affidavit added.
Only on September 5 Gonsalves was shifted to prison hospital as his condition had worsened. “Vernon was taken to the Jail Hospital apparently for tests. Since the hospital does not have a path lab, he was told by a lady doctor that the tests would be done in the morning. Vernon was sent back to the barrack. He was told he may be having dengue or typhoid,” reads the affidavit filed by Furtado.
The blood tests were done only on September 6 for malaria. “Malaria was ruled out. At 9 am when Dr Chavan checked him, his blood pressure had gone up to 164/120. He also opined that he could be having dengue or typhoid. However, no tests were done,” reads the affidavit.
The affidavit further states that even on September 6 he was not given proper treatment. “Vernon pleaded with folded hands to the main jailer Shri Pise, senior jailer Jutale and 3-star Jadhav to take him to JJ Hospital for a proper check-up as by then he could not walk. They promised that they would speak to the superintendent,” Furtado claimed.
Vernon was finally taken to hospital by prison authorities only after fellow inmates threatened to go on hunger strike.
The special court had on September 6, asked the prison superintendent to file a reply on the plea seeking his hospitalisation. In the absence of a reply, the court asked the superintendent to personally remain present before the court on September 12 and file his say, medical report of accused as well as his explanation for not submitting the say till today.