Pending bills deprive Madani of medical treatment

Abdul Nasser Madani, president of People’s Democratic Party, in prison for his alleged involvement in the 2008 blasts in the City, cannot receive treatment at the ayurveda centre, Soukhya, as the jail authorities have reportedly not paid his previous bill running close to a whopping Rs 10 lakh.

Following the Supreme Court order, the State was forced to admit Madani to the ayurveda unit in June 2011, where he underwent a ‘panchakarma’ treatment. But the chances of he receiving the treatment this year appear thin.

Madani’s wife Soofiya, who met him two days ago in the City, complained that her husband’s health was deteriorating, but the jail authorities were being callous.

“My husband suffers from severe diabetes and this has affected his right eye, paralysed his right hand. There is also a swelling on his left foot.

He used to weigh 100 kg, but now his weight is 45 kg. He needs to be treated as an in-patient,” she claimed.

Soofiya, who is an accused in the 2005 bus blast case in Kerala, is out on bail after the CBI special court in Kerala gave her the permission to meet her husband. Soofiya was accompanied by their two daughters and Madani’s brother-in-law.

Isaac Mathew, MD of the ayurveda centre, reportedly wrote a letter addressed to Madani on November 21, 2011, saying, “Since the last four months, there is no response from the jail authorities to our letters. Thus, we are writing to you directly as you have to come for a follow-up treatment.”

Neither the jail officials bought him the required medicines nor is he allowed to get treatment at the centre till the bills are paid, said Soofiya.

“Kottakkal Arya Vaidya Shala provides medicines to us and we courier it to him from Kerala. They do not have a full-fledged branch in Jayanagar here,” she said.

Madani is said to be suffering from cervical spondylitis, disc prolapse, hypertension and diabetic neuropathy.