A court in Delhi has instructed Tihar Jail authorities to provide immediate medical assistance to Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad, Bar and Bench reported. Azad has been lodged in prison since December 21 after leading a massive protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act in Old Delhi’s Daryaganj area.

Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Arul Varma issued the interim order after hearing Azad’s plea for medical treatment at All India Institute of Medical Sciences. The matter was adjourned for hearing at 2 pm on Thursday as the Daryaganj police failed to submit the Bhim Army chief’s medical report, reported Live Law.

Earlier, Tihar Jail authorities had submitted Azad’s health report. The court then instructed that a copy be sent to his lawyer Mehmood Pracha.

In his application, moved on Monday, Azad said he was suffering from polycythemia, a blood disease that may lead to cardiac arrest if not treated urgently. The disease “requires continuous checkup from the doctors concerned from AIIMS, who are supervising his treatment for a long time,” he added.

Last week, Dr Harjit Singh Bhatti, who claimed to be Azad’s doctor, had alleged that the police were denying the Bhim Army chief medical care. Bhatti called the jail authorities’ action a “violation of human rights”. He requested Home Minister Amit Shah and the Delhi Police to intervene.