New Delhi:The Union and the Delhi governments were asked on Monday to respond to a widow’s plea for directions to them to frame guidelines for treatment of Tihar inmates, suffering from diseases like cancer and AIDS. Issuing notice to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the Delhi government and also to the Tihar Jail superintendent, Justice Rajiv Shakdher sought their replies by January 14, next year.
“Something needs to be done for differential treatment for the patients suffering from chronic diseases,” the court said and impleaded the Central government as a party in the case.
The court asked the petitioner’s counsel to amend the petition and include the Centre as a party. The court was hearing a plea by widow Neha Singh, whose husband had died of cancer in Tihar Jail. She has accused the jail authorities of “criminal negligence on the part of jail doctor and others” which allegedly led to her husband’s death in August 2010.
In her petition filed through counsel S Tripathi and A K Singh, Singh sought “direction to the governments to formulate guidelines for treatment of jail inmates suffering from serious ailments like cancer.”
The counsel said the deceased Manjeet Singh, who was lodged in Tihar in a case of kidnapping and dacoity in 2007, had complained of swelling of his face and pain on right side.
Despite a report from Deen Dayal Upadhyay hospital that he was suffering from cancer, no substantial effort was made from the part of jail authorities and as a result of this negligence, he died, the petition alleged.
Apart from seeking directions for framing of guidelines for treatment of such patients, the petitioner also sought a compensation of Rs 10 lakh for her husband’s death and Rs 3 lakh for the expenses incurred towards his treatment. The petition sought “direction to lay down policy in regard to differential treatment of Tihar Jail inmates who are suffering from chronic disease like cancer and AIDS.”
It also sought “a policy for patients under the economically weaker section (EWS) category so that they are not required to pay from their own pockets.” (PTI)