The Madras High Court today ordered issue of notices to Tamil Nadu Home (prison) Department and the Superintendent of Central Prisons, Vellore, on a complaint filed by the wife of a detenu in the prison, seeking proper medical treatment for her husband.
The Division Bench comprising Justice V Dhanapalan and Justice G Chokkalingam directed the authorities to submit their reply within two weeks.
The complaint was filed by Mangayarkarasi, wife of Chenthuran.
Counsel for the petitioner, Duraisamy, submitted that Chenthuran is on fast for the past 10 days and his health condition is deteriorating and needed urgent medical treatment.
He submitted that the family of Chenthuran came to India in 2011 as refugee following ethnic problems in Sri Lanka and they were lodged in a special camp for refugees in Sivaganga district.
However, Tamil Nadu government by a July 18, 2011 order under Foreigners Act sent Chenthuran to special camp at Chengalpattu near here and later shifted to Poonamallee in August 2012.
Later the family was allowed to stay in Sivaganga.
In November 2012, he was permitted to go to Chennai to work by local authorities. However, in July last year the authorities passed their deportation order against which he moved the Madras High Court.
The Court directed him to make a representation to the government besides asking the government to dispose of his representation within two months, which is pending from November 2013.
The Q branch police, following a complaint from a woman, arrested him and lodged him in central prison at Puzhal.
Though he got bail in the case, police kept him at special camp of Sri Lankan refugees at Chengalpattu, against which he observed fast.
Police then registered a case against him for attempt to suicide and shifted him to Vellore prison.
Chenthuran continued his fast in the prison protesting against it, following which his wife moved the court seeking medical treatment to him and immediate release from the jail.
