The first inmate to get infected with coronavirus at Arthur Road jail was granted temporary bail by a special lockdown court on Saturday. The 49-year-old accused, facing charges under the Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, is admitted at JJ hospital. The court considered the medical report of the accused while granting him bail. “…I am of the considered opinion that the condition of the accused is extremely critical and unless he is granted temporary bail, his life is at risk,” the court said. Earlier this month, the undertrial was rushed to the hospital after he suffered a paralytic attack and a stroke. He was tested for Covid-19 and the results came positive. Following this, over 250 tests were conducted at the jail, which showed 184 persons, including 26 staffers, to be infected. The jail authorities, in a report submitted to the court, had said that the health of the accused remains poor. His lawyer, Ayaz Khan, had submitted that if he is again sent to jail after his treatment, he remains at risk of getting an infection and his condition deteriorating. He also submitted that he required medical care for his other illnesses. The prosecution led by special public prosecutor Sumesh Panjwani had opposed the bail. The court ordered the release of the accused on a personal bond of Rs 15,000 for a period of 45 days and directed that after the period, if he has recovered, he shall report to the court and surrender himself or seek an extension based on his medical condition. The court also directed him to quarantine himself. The Covid-19 outbreak in the jail had led to a high-powered committee recommending release of all undertrials with exceptions regarding some offences.
