Unnao custodial death case: Delhi high court directs AIIMS to constitute medical board to examine convict Jaideep Singh Senger

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has directed the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to set up a medical board to examine Jaideep Singh Senger, a convict in the Unnao custodial death case, who has sought suspension of his sentence on medical grounds.

The court ordered that Senger be taken to AIIMS on Thursday for a comprehensive medical examination. The High Court has requested a detailed medical report from AIIMS on whether Senger is suffering from cancer, as claimed in his plea. The medical board has also been asked to specify the stage and nature of the ailment, if confirmed, according to news agency ANI. Additionally, the court directed the board to clarify whether adequate treatment can be provided while he remains in jail or through visits to a government hospital, or whether specialised treatment at AIIMS is necessary. Senger, serving a 10-year sentence in the Unnao custodial death case, surrendered to jail authorities following the High Court’s direction. He is seeking interim bail on medical grounds, alleging he is suffering from Stage-IV oral cancer. A detailed report is thus sought on whether he is suffering from cancer and whether treatment can be provided to him in jail or through hospital visits, as Senger’s counsel argued that he requires specialised care not possible in prison.

A division bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Ravinder Dudeja on Tuesday issued directions to constitute a medical board for Senger’s examination.While issuing direction the bench observed, "In matters concerning suspension of sentence on medical grounds, the Court must be guided by reliable and objective medical opinion and documents."""In the present case, this Court is of the view that an independent medical assessment by a duly constituted Medical Board is necessary to ascertain the current health condition of the applicant," the High Court ordered today. According to the court’s order, "the Medical Board shall conduct a comprehensive evaluation of Jaideep Singh Senger and submit a report on whether he is suffering from cancer or any other life-threatening disease, and if so, then at what stage? Secondly, whether the treatment, if any, can be adequately provided to him within the jail hospital or through escorted visits to government hospitals, or not?" The court added that Senger shall also be entitled to produce his prior medical history of treatment at AIIMS tomorrow. Senior advocate Pramod Kumar Dubey, along with advocates SPM Tripathi and Hemant Shah, represented Senger. They submitted that he is suffering from serious and life-threatening medical conditions, including Stage-IV oral cancer with suspected recurrence, osteoradionecrosis (ORN), trismus, and chronic infection of the jaw. It was submitted that Senger had earlier undergone surgery for oral cancer at AIIMS in October 2020 and has since been under continuous treatment."He requires continuous specialised treatment and proper medical care, which cannot be adequately provided within prison facilities and hence prays that the present application be allowed," said Senger’s advocates.