Medical grounds for interim bail: custody cannot override genuine treatment needs when records support urgent care.
Interim bail on medical grounds may be justified where an accused in custody shows a genuine need for examination or treatment, the medical records are authentic, and there is no reliable material negating the need. The Andhra Pradesh High Court noted that the petitioner, a senior citizen with diabetes, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, skin disorder and advised cataract surgery, was entitled to health-based relief despite suggestions to await a medical board examination. The court stressed that custody is not punitive, preservation of life and health is paramount, and a detainee may be allowed treatment outside custody for a limited period when humanitarian considerations so require.
Issues: Whether the petitioner, while in custody, was entitled to interim bail on medical grounds for examination and treatment of his eye and other health conditions.
Analysis: The medical material showed that the petitioner, a senior citizen, was under treatment for diabetes, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and skin disorder, and had been advised cataract surgery for the right eye. The Court noted that the Government doctor's communications did not negate the need for surgery, there was no convincing material disputing the authenticity of the medical records, and the suggestion to defer relief until a medical board examination was not warranted on the facts. The Court emphasized that preservation of health and life remains paramount, custody is not punitive, and a person in custody is entitled to adequate medical care and to choose the place of treatment when medical need is shown.
Conclusion: The petitioner was entitled to interim bail on medical grounds.
Final Conclusion: Relief was granted on health considerations alone, enabling the petitioner to obtain medical examination and treatment outside custody for a limited period.
Ratio Decidendi: Interim bail may be granted on medical grounds where the medical record shows a genuine need for treatment, there is no reliable material negating that need, and humanitarian considerations justify allowing the accused to receive treatment of choice outside custody.
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