The special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court on Thursday asked the central jail authority here to continue to provide adequate healthcare facilities to Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) leader Akhil Gogoi who has reportedly been suffering from “serious” illness in jail.
The court order came a day after the NIA in a report informed that Akhil has been treated by various doctors, including specialists, several times. The report mentioned that the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) leader has also been taking prescribed medicines and is “stable”. However, Akhil’s wife Gitashree Tamuly is likely to move the court again on Friday, seeking better medical attention to the “ailing” leader.
Her counsel, advocate Krishna Gogoi, said: “Akhil needs urgent and better medical attention. The NIA has submitted the reports of the tests conducted on him till Tuesday. But his health condition has deteriorated since Wednesday. Though a team of doctors checked him on Wednesday, the report has no mention of the latest findings. So we are planning to file a petition objecting to the ‘outdated’ medical report.”
On Thursday, the court also asked the jail authority to conduct check-ups at Gauhati Medical College Hospital (GMCH) and explore the possibility of inpatient treatment facility for him if needed.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has registered a case on Wednesday after two human rights activists, Babloo Loitongbam Human Rights Alert (Manipur) and Henri Tiphagne of Human Rights Defenders Alert (India), submitted a complaint to the NHRC chairperson, Justice (retd) H.L. Dattu.
Akhil was arrested on December 12 in Jorhat by state police during the anti-CAA protests.