INX case: Chidambaram fine, need not be hospitalised as per AIIMS report, SG Mehta tells HC
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court was informed Friday that former finance minister P Chidambaram, lodged in Tihar jail in the INX Media money laundering case, is fine and does not require hospitalisation.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta read out the report of AIIMS Medical Board, set up on the court's order to examine Chidambaram's health condition, and said the Congress leader does not require a sterile environment.
Justice Suresh Kait, who was hearing Chidambaram's interim bail plea, directed the Tihar jail superintendent to provide clean and hygienic surrounding to the 74-year old Congress leader as also home-cooked food, mineral water, mosquito protection net and repellant.
The court also directed that Chidambaram's medical check up be done regularly. The court disposed of the plea after senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Chidambaram, said they do not require any further direction.
The court had on Thursday directed the AIIMS director to constitute a medical board to give opinion on the health of Chidambaram, who is suffering from Crohn's disease. Crohn's disease refers to the inflammation of the digestive tract leading to abdominal pain, diarrhoea and also weight loss.
The high court had said that the Hyderabad-based gastroenterologist Nageshwar Reddy, who has been treating the Congress leader, be included in the board to give his opinion on Chidambaram's medical condition.
Chidambaram has sought interim bail in the case, filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), on medical grounds saying his condition is deteriorating and he needs to be in a sterile environment.
He has sought interim relief for six days to enable him to consult and get examined by his regular doctor, Reddy, at the Asian Institute of Gastroenterology (AIG) in Hyderabad.
He has claimed that he needs "urgent medical treatment for the acute and persistent abdominal pain being experienced" by him since October 5 due to Crohn's disease which he was diagnosed with in 2017.
The court was informed that Chidambaram's weight has reduced from 73 kg to 66 kg, which showed that his condition was deteriorating in custody.
The court in its order directed the AIIMS medical board to give opinion on Chidambaram's condition, especially on whether he requires admission in sterile environment at the hospital.
It asked the AIIMS director to constitute the board by 4 pm and the team of doctors will include Reddy.
The court made it clear that the board will meet at 7 pm and if Reddy is unable to reach here from Hyderabad, the board will sit on Friday at 10 am and give its opinion.
The interim bail application was filed in Chidambaram's pending bail plea which is listed for hearing on November 4.
According to his interim bail plea, he was examined at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on October 7 and was prescribed an antibiotic and painkillers after which the abdominal pain subsided.
Thereafter, the problem recurred on October 22 and he was examined on October 23 at AIIMS and prescribed a new set of medicines. However, there was no relief from the pain, the application has contended.
Subsequently, he was examined again at AIIMS on October 24 and October 26 and tests were conducted at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital on October 28.
After the medical test, Chidambaram was put on steroid treatment for 16 weeks, the application said and added that as his body was not responding to treatment prescribed at AIIMS and hence he be allowed to consult his regular doctor at AIG.
It has also said that his medical reports were sent to his regular doctor by e-mail and after perusing the same, the doctor has said that the inflammation has increased and Chidambaram needs immediate treatment in a sterile environment.
The plea for interim relief has been moved by Chidambaram in his application seeking regular bail in the INX Media money-laundering case in which he is presently in ED custody.
Chidambaram, who was sent to Tihar jail on Wednesday till November 13 by the trial court in the INX Media money laundering case, was arrested by the CBI on August 21 in the INX Media corruption case.
The case was registered on May 15, 2017, alleging irregularities in a Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to the INX Media group for receiving overseas funds of Rs 305 crore in 2007 during Chidambaram's tenure as Union finance minister.
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Rupee hits record low of 96.14/USD, settles at fresh closing low of 95.86/USD
Mumbai (PTI): The Indian rupee crashed below the 96/USD mark on Friday before closing at an all-time low of 95.86 (provisional) against the US dollar as elevated crude oil prices and inflation concerns added to the downside pressure on the rupee.
Rupee has registered over 6 per cent losses so far this year, and in the past six trading sessions, it has depreciated nearly 2 per cent as Iran war risk escalation pushed crude oil prices higher. The dollar index moved northwards after strong US retail sales and stable labour market data reduced expectations of aggressive Federal Reserve rate cuts.
Forex traders said global uncertainties, relatively high valuations, and the lack of AI-led investment opportunities have weighed on capital flows.
Moreover, weak net FDI inflows are likely to exert pressure on the balance of payments, while rising crude oil prices stoke inflation worries.
At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened at 95.86, then slumped to a record low of 96.14 in intraday trade, registering a fall of 50 paise from its previous close.
The USD/INR pair finally settled at 95.86 (provisional) against the US dollar, registering a fall of 22 paise from its previous close, helped by likely RBI intervention.
On Thursday, the rupee weakened to a fresh record low of 95.96 before closing with a marginal gain of 2 paise at 95.64 against the US dollar.
Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, was trading at 99.15, higher by 0.34 per cent.
Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, was trading up 3.14 per cent at USD 109.04 per barrel in futures trade.
On the domestic equity market front, Sensex fell 160.73 points to settle at 75,237.99, while Nifty declined 46.10 points to 23,643.50.
Foreign Institutional Investors turned net buyers, purchasing equities worth Rs 187.46 crore on Thursday, according to exchange data.
Meanwhile, the country's exports in April rose by 13.78 per cent to USD 43.56 billion despite global challenges, Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said on Friday.
Imports grew 10 per cent year-on-year to USD 71.94 billion in April. The trade deficit during the month stood at USD 28.38 billion.
"We expect the rupee to trade with a negative bias on elevated crude oil prices and inflation concerns. Strong dollar and FII outflows may also weigh on the rupee. However, any intervention by the RBI and hiking of import duty on gold and silver may support the rupee at lower levels. USD-INR spot price is expected to trade in a range of 95.60 to 96.20," said Anuj Choudhary, Research analyst at Mirae Asset ShareKhan.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump on Friday hailed their talks as "historic" and "landmark", as the American leader wrapped up his three-day visit on a high note, but no deals on any contentious issues were announced.
Both Presidents, who held several rounds of talks covering a range of global issues, including the Iran war and bilateral trade frictions, concluded their discussions with a private meeting at Zhongnanhai, the well-guarded compound in Beijing where top leaders reside.
