The Supreme Court of India today instructed the doctors of the Secunderabad-based army hospital to perform tests on rebel YSRCP MP Kanumuru Raghu Rama Krishna Raju, who, after being
arrested for sedition by the Andra Pradesh unit of the CID recently, claimed yesterday that he had been
"indiscriminately beaten" by CID personnel.
The nation's apex court constituted a three-member committee comprising doctors from the army hospital for the purpose of the examination. It also told the doctors to video the entire procedure of the medical examination, and to then submit the report to it (the SC) in a sealed cover.
The court further asked the doctors to perform the aforementioned medical tests on Raju in the presence of a judicial officer who would be appointed by the Telangana High Court. The duration of the medical examination would be considered judicial custody, the SC clarified.
The matter was then adjourned till May 21.
The concerned authorities are now planning to shift Raju to the army hospital.
A medical examination was necessitated after the MP appealed to the Supreme Court to revoke the Andhra Pradesh HC's decision to deny him bail. In his appeal, the MP told the nation's apex court that the AP High Court had failed to take his bail plea seriously, and had not considered the grounds on which he had applied for the same (including his "feeble health", the result of a recent heart surgery). He said that the court had simply directed him to approach a lower court with his plea instead.
Though Raju was denied bail, he was subsequently produced before a Magistrate. He informed the officer that he had been "indiscriminately beaten" by CID personnel after his arrest.