MUMBAI: A convict of the 1993 Bombay Bomb Blast, Nasir Abdul Kadar Kewal alias Nasir Dhakla, recently filed a writ petition in the Bombay High Court, seeking directions to the jail authorities to provide him with the necessary medical care, stating that in case of any untoward incident, in terms of his health condition, the state government should be held responsible, alleging that they have failed to provide him with adequate medical treatment.
In his petition, Kewal, who is serving a life sentence at Nashik Central Prison, referred to his medical history of ischaemic heart disease and hypertension, due to which he was admitted to Sir J.J. Hospital several times in April this year. He stated that following his discharge from the hospital on April 23, he was advised to strictly comply with the prescribed medication and was asked to visit the hospital for follow-ups.
The petition, filed on August 20 through Advocate Farhana Shah, stated that Kewal had requested the CMO and the jail superintendent several times to allow him to go to the hospital for regular checkups, for which the jail authorities always expressed the unavailability of the escort party and denied permission.
“A convict has to be provided with adequate medical treatment as he is a human being. He should also be healthy in order to face the punishment awarded and also to carry out the work assigned to him by the jail authorities. Hence, proper medical treatment is a must”, the petition stated.
Highlighting that he had been in custody for over 30 years now, Kewal submitted that he had never misused any permission or liberty granted to him by the authorities. He added that his condition was deteriorating day by day and that he was in dire need of medical treatment.
“As it is a question of health, it cannot be neglected by the jail authorities as it is the basic right which a convict also deserves to be provided with as per the Constitution of India”, the petition mentioned. “If the jail authorities are not able to provide him with proper medical treatment, then permission will be granted for his hospitalisation in a private hospital at the expenses to be borne by his family members,” it added.
Kewal was arrested in July 1995, following which a TADA court sentenced him to life imprisonment in 2007 after finding him guilty of undergoing arms training in Pakistan and attending conspiracy meetings at the residence of his co-accused. He was also found guilty of transporting arms and explosives to the coastal Raigad district before the blasts.