Kalmadi's counsel stopped from talking about client's disease

New Delhi, Jul 27 (PTI) With Pune Lok Sabha member Suresh
Kalmadi, an accused in a corruption case relating to conduct
of 2010 Commonwealth Games, hitting headlines for reportedly
suffering from dementia, a Delhi court on Wednesday advised
his counsel against talking to the media about it.
"What statement have you given to them (media)? Make
sure that you do not make a statement about anything that is
not on record. Let Mr (K T S) Tulsi make a comment. Make sure
that they do not quote you," special judge Talwant Singh, who
is trying Kalmadi for his alleged role in the corruption case,
told Pune MP's counsel Hitesh Jain.
The court asked Jain to refrain from talking about the
diseases, reportedly suffered by Kalmadi, pointing out to him
that the court was yet to take note of the fact.
The court also directed the jail superintendent "to
send two sets of all medical tests conducted on Kalmadi and
his medical reports to the court by next week."
The medical reports of Kalmadi are yet to be submitted
to the court.
Media reports had quoted Jain as saying that Kalmadi
had been suffering from this problem (dementia) for the last
four to five years and the same had been communicated to the
jail and investigating authorities.
According to media reports, attributed to Deputy
Inspector General of Tihar R N Sharma, the 66-year-old Member
of Parliament (MP) from Pune, a city in the West Indian state
of Maharashtra, was recently taken to LNJP Hospital where an
MRI scan was conducted on him and the tests showed that he was
suffering from dementia, a disease related to memory loss,
impaired reasoning and personality changes, which gradually
affects cognitive functions of a person.
Noted lawyer K T S Tulsi was also quoted as opining
that "If it (dementia) had settled at the time of offence, it
may have a bearing on his culpability."
Talking outside the courtroom, Jain said he never
mentioned the word 'dementia'. "I have never used the word
dementia. Even our application about his medical examination
etc never mentioned the word dementia," Jain said.
Kalmadi was arrested on April 25 and has been in jail
since then.
Meanwhile, the court also granted custody parole to
Commomwealth Games OC former Director General V K Verma to
attend the post-death ceremony of his mother-in-law on August
2 from 11 am to 5 pm.
The judicial custody of Kalmadi and other accused
former OC officials -- V K Verma, Secretary General Lalit
Bhanot, Director General (procurement) Surit Lal, Jt Director
General (sports) A S V Prasad and Treasurer M Jayachandran--
have been extended till August 5. PTI AKI
ASR