On his birthday, jailed Congress leader Navjot Sidhu taken to hospital for check-up

Aman Sood

Patiala, October 20

Congress leader Navjot Sidhu, who is lodged in Patiala Central Jail in a road rage case, on Thursday arrived at Rajindra Hospital amid tight security for a thorough check-up.

It was Sidhu’s birthday today when he complained of some breathing issues in the jail following which he was taken to the hospital for a check-up.

Sidhu was sent back to jail late in the evening after his medical check up was completed. He has lost some weight following his strict diet plan.

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann today tweeted that he will provide ample security to Navjot Sidhu for his hearing in a Ludhiana case. “I have ordered all possible protection to Sidhu for the hearing tomorrow,” he tweeted.

Two days back the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Sumit Makkar has issued production warrant against former Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu.

The warrant was issued in a complaint case filed by ex-DSP Balwinder Singh Sekhon against former Food & Civil Supplies Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu for October 21.

The security to be provided by the state government to Sidhu for his court hearing comes after Sidhu had written to the government highlighting security risk. “I had raised issue of my security some six weeks back and I again want to highlight that security be ensured during my visit to Ludhiana court,” reads the letter written Sidhu to the jail superintendent.

Sidhu cannot consume wheat, sugar, ‘maida’ and some other food items and is on a special diet prescribed by a board of doctors. He can have berries, papaya, guava, double-toned milk and food items which do not have fibre and carbohydrates.

The 59-year-old Congress leader suffers from medical conditions like embolism and also has a liver ailment. In 2015, Sidhu underwent treatment for acute deep vein thrombosis (DVT) at a hospital in Delhi.

DVT is caused by a blood clot in a deep vein which hinders the normal blood flow.

In May 2022, the Supreme Court had sentenced Sidhu to one-year rigorous imprisonment in the 34-year-old case, saying any undue sympathy in imposing an inadequate sentence would do more harm to the justice system and undermine the public confidence in the efficacy of law. A Patiala resident Gurnam Singh had died in the incident.