India, May 4 -- The Bombay High Court has directed all government hospitals across the state to admit prisoners who require immediate medical attention or surgery, without insisting on payment of treatment fees.

A division bench of justice Revati Mohite Dere and justice Dr Neela Gokhale passed the order on Wednesday, on a petition filed by Arun Bhelke, arrested by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) for allegedly being a Naxalite.

The 45-year-old resident of Chandrapur district had approached the high court in 2022, seeking compensation of Rs.50 lakh, claiming his wife Kanchan Nanaware, who too was arrested by the ATS, died as an undertrial prisoner due to gross negligence by the jail authorities in providing her proper medical t...