Islamic State operative claims developing COVID-19 symptoms as he seeks treatment in the Tihar jail

A man, arrested for allegedly conspiring to commit terror activities and further the ISIS ideology in the country, on Tuesday moved a Delhi court seeking proper medical treatment, claiming that he has developed symptoms of COVID-19.

The application on behalf of Asif Ali submitted that 18 jail inmates have developed symptoms like cough, cold and fever.

The plea, moved by advocate M S Khan on behalf of Asif Ali, urged the court to direct Tihar Jail authorities to provide him proper medical treatment or send him to a hospital.

The plea is likely to come up for hearing on Wednesday.

Ali was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in a case lodged in December 2015 for allegedly conspiring to carry out terror attacks in various parts of the country.

“He said that 18 jail inmates, including Ali, have developed symptoms, i.e. cough, cold and fever and no efforts have been made by the jail administration for the medical checkup of the inmates. That given the current scenario, it is imperative for the jail authorities to get the accused persons treated well and get their COVID tests done,” the application said.

It added that if no timely action is taken, the situation can get worse as the chances of developing COVID-19 may be on the higher side.

“It is, therefore, most respectfully and in the interest of justice prayed that necessary directions may kindly be issued to jail superintendent, Tihar to provide better/proper medical treatment to the accused persons,” it said.

The NIA had filed a charge sheet against 16 suspected ISIS operatives, arrested from across the country allegedly on the charges of recruiting and financing people to join the terror group.

The probe agency had outlined the role of all the accused in a larger conspiracy of ISIS to further its ideology.

It had claimed that members of the banned terror group – Islamic State (IS) or Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) or Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) – in connivance with a few resident and non-resident Indians, have been indulging in identification, radicalisation, recruitment, training.

Some Indian youths were transferred by the accused to countries like Syria, Lybia and Iraq for terror acts, it said.

The accused were arrested from different parts of the country for allegedly recruiting and financing people to join the terror organisation.

They were arrested under several sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Source: Outlook India