UAPA Accused Atikur Rahman To Be Taken To AIIMS Delhi For Treatment

Nearly a week after a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Lucknow asked the Mathura district jail to ensure “proper treatment” of Atikur Rahman, who was sent rushed to an Agra hospital following a rapid deterioration in his health condition, prison authorities say they’ve decided to take him to AIIMS-Delhi for a checkup.

Student leader Atikur Rahman was arrested along with journalist Siddique Kappan and two others on the way to Hathras and charged with sedition and under UAPA. The 27-year-old suffers from a serious heart condition and his family and lawyers had continually demanded immediate surgical intervention.

Rahman was being taken to the PMLA court last week for a hearing when he got sick. He was taken to a community health centre, from where he was sent to the district hospital in Agra and then to SN Medical College in the same city. The doctors there referred him to a higher centre — SGPGI (Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences) in Lucknow or AIIMS in Delhi. However, the authorities took him back to jail.

After a medical emergency application was filed by his Lucknow lawyer Mr Sheeran M Alvi before the PMLA Court, the court asked authorities to ensure that Rahman gets the right treatment and is moved to a higher centre if needed. 

The DG Prisons UP then issued an order to take him to AIIMS. 

“The order has been issued but its written copy is yet to be received. We will send him there as soon as we get the order, which should be by Thursday or Friday,” jail superintendent Brijesh Kumar told TOI.

“The (SN) medical college doctors did a complete checkup and prescribed some medicines, which we are giving him. Doctors advised to take him to a higher centre after being told that he was being treated at AIIMS-Delhi earlier.” 

During the second wave of the pandemic, multiple applications filed by senior lawyer Mr Madhuvandutt Chaturvedi seeking proper treatment for Rahman at AIIMS were rejected.

Rahman suffers from Aortic regurgitation- a cardiac problem that develops when the aortic valve in the heart does not shut securely enough. Heart failure is the most dangerous consequence that might occur as a result of this condition. 

A month before his arrest, an AIIMS doctor had advised him to have a Bentall procedure to replace his aortic valve. However, he was arrested before the medical procedure could take place.

Rahman is a PhD scholar who has been associated with Campus Front of India, a student organisation. He was arrested last year by Uttar Pradesh Police while on way to Hathras along with Journalist Siddique Kappan, Masood Ahmed and cab driver Alam. They all have maintained their innocence and clarified that they were on their way as journalists to report on the matter or as activists to express their solidarity with the bereaved family.

The UP government invoked a stringent anti-terror law UAPA against them. Atik’s interim bail plea was also rejected in June 2021.