The Rohini court on Wednesday dismissed an application filed by wrestler Sushil Kumar, accused in a case of alleged murder, seeking special food and health supplements in the prison, saying that they are not the “essential need or necessity”. Sushil is currently in judicial custody as the prime accused in the Sagar Dhankar murder case.
The court order stated, “It is well settled law that all the persons, whether natural or juristic are equal in eyes of law irrespective of caste, religion, sex, class. It also implies absence of any special privilege in any person due to his rank, status, whether rich or poor.”
While dismissing the application filed by Sushil, the court said, “The alleged special foods and supplements appear to be only the desires and wishes of the accused and are not in any manner the essential need or necessity for the accused. Hence, the prayer of the accused/applicant in the present application is not maintainable. Accordingly, the present application is hereby dismissed.”
It was also highlighted that, in accordance with the rules of the Delhi Prisons Rule, 2018, the accused person’s basic wants and necessities are met in the jail, and that a balanced and healthy diet is provided to him without discrimination.
Sushil is currently fed with eight rotis, two cups of tea, and four biscuits in jail, along with pulses and vegetables, much like the other inmates. The double Olympic medallist, however, finds the food “insufficient”.
Advocate Pradeep Rana, appearing for Sushil Kumar, said: “The future career of the accused/applicant in wrestling directly depends on his physical strength and physique, without which he cannot sustain and sought permission to allow special foods and supplements to the accused, which contain protein, Omega-3 capsules, jointment capsules, Pre-workout C4, Hyde, Multivitamin GNC, Exercises Bands, among other things.”
To this the court said that the accused has revealed his wish to pursue his future career in wrestling but has neither disclosed the details of any upcoming competition for which he has been qualified to participate, nor has mentioned the name of any competition in which he is participating in the near future.
The wrestler was sentenced to nine days in judicial custody last week in connection with the murder of wrestler Sagar Rana. On 23 May, Delhi Police arrested Sushil in connection with the murder of Sagar Dhankar at Delhi’s Chhatrasal Stadium. Before his arrest, Sushil had been on the run for nearly three weeks. The wrestler is being held in a separate cell in Delhi›s Mandoli jail.