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Journalism of Courage
Former Maharashtra Transport Minister Surupsinh Naik, who is serving a month-long jail term for violating a Supreme Court directive, has been denied permission by the jail authorities to vote in the Legislative Council polls tomorrow. Naik has been spending the last 17 days at the Cardiac Care Unit of the J J Hospital.
Sources said that on Tuesday, Naik told the jail authorities he wanted to go to the Assembly on Thursday to cast his vote for electing members to the Legislative Council. His request was turned down.
‘‘…We told him he was a convict and could not be allowed such a facility,’’ said a senior superintendent of Thane Jail where Naik had been lodged before he was admitted to the hospital.
Naik, who, sources said, has been found fit after four cardiac tests, will undergo a Thallium test at Jaslok Hospital tomorrow. ‘‘…after the test, it will be decided if he requires further treatment,’’ said Dr Pravin Shingar, Dean of J J Hospital.
Sources also said that Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and Home Minister RR Patil were annoyed at the manner in which Naik has been spending days at the hospital while serving his sentence. They have asked the doctors and jail officials to make no delay in taking Naik back to jail if he is found fit. They have decided in principle not to entertain Naik’s wish to be shifted to a private hospital. ‘‘The CM fears that Naik’s prolonged stay in hospital… will amount to further contempt of court and show the government in a bad light,’’ said a source.
