Jailed poet Varavara Rao, 81, admitted to hospital

Rao, who was arrested in 2018, was shifted from Pune to Mumbai in February after the case was transferred from the Pune police to the National Investigation Agency.

POET AND writer P Varavara Rao, 81, who is an accused in the Elgar Parishad case, has been admitted to J J Hospital. Rao was rushed to the hospital from Taloja central jail in Navi Mumbai on Thursday after he complained of giddiness and fell unconscious in his cell.

Hospital authorities said he is currently stable. “His swab was collected for Covid-19 test on Thursday and the report is likely to come on Saturday,” said an official. His legal representatives said they were not informed about Rao being shifted to a hospital.

Arrested in 2018, Rao was shifted from Pune to Mumbai in February after investigation in the case was taken over by the National Investigation Agency. Owing to his age and previous illnesses, Rao has filed for interim bail before the special court, citing his vulnerability to Covid-19. The jail authorities have not yet submitted his medical reports sought by the court. On Thursday, the court directed the jail superintendent to submit a report on Rao’s medical examination.