Excise policy case: Arun Pillai moves interim bail on medical grounds, Delhi HC seeks ED’s stand

The HC also asked the ED to file its reply to the application, asking the agency to verify the medical documents submitted by Pillai.

Appearing for Pillai, advocate Nitesh Rana submitted that Pillai is in severe pain, and his condition has not improved. Pillai was arrested by the ED on March 6, 2023.

Pillai, 51, in his plea, has said that he has been suffering from a history of lower back aches for the past eight years.

The plea submits that during Pillai’s incarceration, he has been having “severe pain” in his lower back “causing radiating pain to the legs”, and “upper back pain radiating to his front chest muscles, which is affecting his day-to-day chores”.

It states that after he was taken to Max Hospital on April 25 and May 1 this year, Pillai underwent several tests including an MRI which revealed that there is a “multilevel degenerative disc disease”. The applicant added that the consulting doctor has prescribed “tens laser” physiotherapy sessions.

“Taking into account the age of the Applicant (Pillai), the prolonged courses of painkillers prescribed to him, the family of the applicant has taken an opinion from Ayurvedic Doctors at renowned Pratheeksha Ayurvedic Clinic, Palakkad, Kerala to explore options other than allopathy that could provide the Applicant relief. The doctors at Pratheeksha Ayurvedic Clinic have opined that the Applicant needs to be admitted to the hospital to undergo 21 days ‘Panchkarma Therapy’ with further rest of 21 days,” the plea submits.

Pillai has said that he wishes to undergo a 21-day Panchkarma therapy at the clinic in Kerala with the “prescribed after treatment of 21 days” to “sustainably heal his back pain”.

The plea states that despite multiple courses of medications prescribed to Pillai, the pain has been recurring and has led to him taking painkillers for long periods which causes multiple side effects on patients.

“Taking the above factors into account and the level of degeneration of the spine at 50 years of age, the Applicant and his family seeks to avail Ayurvedic Panchakarma treatment since Ayurveda has been a more effective course of treatment for the Applicant in the past and is known to have less side effects,” the plea states.

It adds that his back condition is getting worse, and he faces the risk of permanent damage to his back due to “improper treatment”.