No Interim Bail For Ex-PFI Chairman Abubacker; Delhi HC Directs AIIMS To Submit MRI Reports

The Delhi High Court on Monday ordered the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Medical Superintendent to submit MRI reports of former Popular Front of India (PFI) Chairman Erappungal Abubacker dated January 29, 2023.

A division bench of Justice Siddharth Mridul and Justice Talwant Singh was hearing an interim bail petition filed by Abubacker on medical grounds.

At the hearing, counsel for the NIA stated that a Tihar Jail Medical Report had been submitted in the morning. In response, the court stated that no such report was on file.

Appearing for Abubacker, Advocate Adit Pujari then contended that it is a one-page medical report listing all of Abubacker’s medications.

The division bench directed the medical report of Tihar Jail be placed on record, and stated, “At the request of Mr. Pujari Medical Superintendent of AIIMS is asked to file MRI reports done on January 29, on or before the next date of hearing”.

As a result, the bench scheduled the matter for further hearing on April 6, 2023.

It should be recalled that the court had previously directed the Tihar Prison Superintendent to ensure effective medical treatment on a regular basis, without the demand that former Popular Front of India (PFI) Chairman Erappungal Abubacker be provided with it.

Advocate Pujari had informed the bench that an affidavit had been filed detailing Abubacker’s current employment and daily routine. Pujari had submitted that he could not stay inside the jail because he was critical, forgets things, and even if a Sevadar was with him, he was unable to interact with him because Abubacker only spoke English or Malayalam.

On the contrary, the NIA’s counsel objected to the claim, claiming that they possessed a video of Abubacker speaking to thousands of people in Hindi. He also claimed that he needed more time to respond to the affidavit.

Previously, in January, the bench ordered Advocate Pujari to provide a thorough statement outlining how the current case violated Article 21 of the Indian Constitution.

Interestingly, on October 13, last year, Justice Anoop Kumar Mendiratta of the High Court refused Abubacker’s bail petition.

Abubacker was apprehended during the PFI raids on September 22, 2022.