December 16 gang rape accused being given proper medical care

The Tihar jail authorities on Thursday told a special court in New Delhi that one of the accused in the December 16 gang rape case is being given proper medical care in the hospital where he is admitted and the doctors there are  not on strike.

"It has been confirmed from the guard, who is escorting/ guarding the accused Vinay Sharma at LNJPHospital that the doctors of the hospital are not on strike and are visiting the accused regularly," the jail authorities told Additional Sessions Judge Yogesh Khanna.

The jail authorities' reply came on a plea filed by Vinay's counsel A P Singh who had alleged that his client has been "poisoned" in Tihar jail and is critically ill.

Vinay has been hospitalised for almost two weeks now.

The judge has sought the medical record of Vinay from the doctors treating him at LNJPHospital and said "...the exact condition of the accused is not disclosed in the report and it is stated that the medical status report of the accused shall be submitted by the treating doctor at LNJPHospital. The said report be obtained and be filed tomorrow (Friday)."

Vinay's lawyer, has claimed his client was being poisoned in jail, an allegation that has been denied by Tihar Jail authorities.

Vinay was admitted to Deen Daya lUpadhyayHospital on May 4. He was suffering from high fever, sore throat and mouth ulcers.

As per the medical report submitted by the Tihar jail authorities to the court on Thursday, he was moved to LNJPHospital on May 14 after "he was advised referral to a higher centre from DDU hospital with the provisional diagnosis of Pyrexia of unknown origin with bicytopenia."

Vinay's medical problems began on April 4 when he complained of chest pain. He was referred to G B Pant and was found to "to be a low-risk candidate for coronary artery disease and was advised medications." On the same day, a fracture was detected in his right hand.

The counsel had then alleged that his client's hand had been broken by jail authorities. The charge was, however, dismissed by the court.

One of the accused Ram Singh was found hanging in his prison cell in Tihar on  March 11.

Four accused -- Vinay, Mukesh, Pawan Gupta and Akshay Thakur are on trial for the gangrape and murder of 23-year-old student and attack on her friend on the night of December 16. The girl later died of her injuries on December 29 last year. 

The proceedings against the main accused Ram Singh have abated after he had allegedly committed suicide in his cell on March 11. The sixth accused is facing proceedings before a Juvenile Justice Board.