SC declines bail to PFI founding member on medical grounds

New Delhi, June 25 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to release A.S. Ismail, one of the founding members of the banned outfit, the Popular Front of India (PFI), on bail on medical grounds.

However, a Bench of Justices K.V. Viswanathan and N.K. Singh issued limited notice to examine whether the physiotherapy facility, available in Tihar Jail-3, could also be made available to the petitioner who is currently lodged in Tihar Jail-1.

The Justice Viswanathan-led Bench directed that a copy of A.S. Ismail’s petition be served on Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Archana Pathak Dave for obtaining instructions on the above aspect, and listed the matter for further consideration on June 27.

Earlier, the Delhi High Court had dismissed A.S. Ismail’s appeal challenging the rejection of his plea for interim bail on medical grounds by the Patiala House Courts.

Referring to the report prepared by a panel of AIIMS doctors, the Delhi High Court said that the appellant was being given proper treatment in jail and his health condition was showing improvement.

In its order passed on May 13, a Bench of Justices Subramonium Prasad and Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar directed jail authorities to continue with the appellant’s medical treatment as prescribed by the doctors, including regular physiotherapy and continuous monitoring of the blood pressure.

The Delhi High Court ordered the jail authorities to take A.S. Ismail to the AlIMS once every month for medical evaluation.

The NIA lodged an FIR against office bearers, members and cadres of PFI under Sections 120B and 153 IPC and Sections 17, 18, 18B, 22B, 38, 29 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA) for hatching a conspiracy to commit terrorist acts in various parts of India, including Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi.

The PFI has been banned by the Central government in due to its alleged links with terror activities.

Based on crime registered by the NIA for alleged terrorism-related activities, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) also initiated an anti-money laundering investigation into non-genuine cash deposits and bank transfers orchestrated by the PFI. As per the financial probe agency, PFI members collected funds through donations, hawala transactions, banking channels, etc and used those funds for unlawful activities and the commission of various offenses.

--IANS

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