Why Amar Singh had to be rushed to AIIMS, asks court

The court was scheduled to pronounce its verdict on Singh's interim bail plea today but it deferred the same and listed the matter for further hearing on September 15.

Special Judge Sangita Dhingra Sehgal also ordered the jail authorities and the AIIMS Director to furnish a report on Singh's medical condition by 12 noon tomorrow.

"Let the jail authorities send their report positively at or before 12 pm (noon) on September 14. The jail authorities are also directed to furnish a complete report on the medical condition of the accused (Amar Singh) which necessitated his shifting to the AIIMS on the evening of September 12," the court said.

The court also asked the AIIMS Director to apprise it of the medical condition of former Samajwadi Party General Secretary from the time of his hospitalization there.

"The Director of AIIMS shall also send a report on the medical condition of the accused (Amar Singh) from the time of his admission in AIIMS and his present position positively at or before 12 pm (noon) on September 14.

"Let the application for grant of interim bail be posted for arguments on September 15 at 10 am," the judge said.

The court also asked the AIIMS, where Amar Singh was shifted last night, to submit his "entire medical record" before it.

Earlier in the day, advocate Hariharan, appearing for Amar Singh, pressed for interim bail and accused the Tihar Jail authorities of being "wishy-washy" about Singh's health condition despite the same being what he insisted was "alarming."

"His (Amar Singh) condition deteriorated badly yesterday and it is alarming...he was kept in extremely unhygienic condition in the jail and he is also suffering from severe fever. All the while, the jail authorities are wishy-washy. They are trying to avoid the issue," he said.

The defence counsel said Amar Singh is not suffering from a normal ailment. "His (Amar Singh) condition is different from a normal patient. This is not a political gimmick. Even the media reports says he is sick. The situation is dangerous," he said.

On this, the judge pointed out to the counsel that they had been pressing yesterday for either granting bail to Singh or shifting him to a hospital.

"What you wanted yesterday was that he be either shifted to hospital or should be granted interim bail. He is now in hospital. The doctors at the AIIMS would let us know about his medical condition now," the judge said.

The defence counsel, however, said circumstances have changed and the situation was "more alarming now."

He also accused the jail authorities of failing to submit to the court some of the reports which were to be furnished today as per the court's direction.

"Was it not their (jail authorities) duty to inform the court about the situation that this is what has happened?," he said, adding "since morning, nobody from Tihar has come to the court to inform about the situation."

Hariharan also pleaded for interim bail to Amar Singh on the ground of his frail health saying "he (Amar Singh) has two small children and we do not want them to be orphaned because of us. He is unwell and needs specialised care."

He said he (Singh) would abide by any condition of the court for granting him bail, saying he would not flee given his political standing.

The judge, however, said Singh's health condition has to be determined by doctors as the court is not a medical expert and any order passed by the court will be based on such reports.

"It (Amar Singh's health) is for doctors to decide and not for us. As on date, I have three reports. A few parameters are found normal and a few are are little above normal. Any order that I will pass, being a judicial order, has to be based on something," the judge said.

Insisiting on interim bail to Singh, Hariharan also argued the jail authorities gave their "opinion" on his health instead of doctor's report as asked by the court.

Amar Singh was arrested on September 6 for his alleged role in the 2008 cash-for-vote scam.

Apart from Singh, two ex-BJP MPs Mahabir Singh Bhagora and Faggan Singh Kulaste and Suhail Hindustani, who allegedly acted as a conduit between Amar Singh and the BJP MPs, sought to be bribed and Sanjeev Saxena, a former close aide of Amar Singh, are also lodged in Tihar Jail.