P Varavara Rao to stay at Nanavati Hospital till January 7: Bombay HC

The Bombay high court (HC) has directed the state government and National Investigation Agency (NIA) to let Telugu poet and accused in the Bhima-Koregaon case, P

The Bombay high court (HC) has directed the state government and National Investigation Agency (NIA) to let Telugu poet and accused in the Bhima-Koregaon case, P Varavara Rao stay in Nanavati Hospital till the next hearing on January 7, 2021.

Varavara Rao, accused related in Elgar Parishad, Bhima Koregaon case, is receiving treatment at Nanavati Hospital. (HT PHOTO)

The court, while taking note of the 82-year-old’s current health status asked the hospital to submit the latest health report before the next hearing, and also announced that it would hear the pleas on the next date of hearing as the same was pending for some time now.

A division bench of justice SS Shinde and justice MS Karnik, while hearing the petition filed by Rao’s wife P Hemlatha, seeking transfer of her husband to a proper hospital and bail for him in light of his health condition, was informed by senior counsels Anand Grover and Indira Jaising that Rao had responded well to the treatment after he was shifted to Nanavati Hospital. Grover, however, said that the octogenarian was having fluctuation in his blood pressure which was above normal, and had bouts of shivering. Rao was being monitored and treated continuously by the hospital.

However, chief public prosecutor Deepak Thakare submitted that the hospital was awaiting an order of the court to discharge Rao as his condition was now stable. Thakare further added that if required Rao could be shifted to state-run JJ Hospital.

Additional solicitor general Anil Singh for NIA pointed to the fact that Rao’s family had agreed that he had shown improvement and hence, there was no further need to keep him in the hospital.

After hearing the submissions, the court observed that it was not keen on allowing Rao to be moved out of Nanavati Hospital till his wife’s application was not heard on merit. The court further directed the hospital to furnish the latest report on Rao’s condition before the next hearing and posted the petition for final hearing on January 7.