A day after the Delhi High Court asked the AIIMS director to give an opinion on the health condition of P Chidambaram, who is lodged in Tihar jail in the INX Media money laundering case, the court was informed Friday that the former Union minister is "fine and need not be hospitalised".

© Provided by IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd The high court directed Tihar jail authorities to provide clean surroundings, mineral water, home-cooked food, protection from mosquitoes to Chidambaram. (PTI Photo)

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta read out the report of AIIMS Medical Board, set up on the court's order, and said the Congress leader does not require a sterile environment, PTI reported.

Justice Suresh Kait, who was hearing Chidambaram's interim bail plea, directed the Tihar jail superintendent to provide clean surroundings, mineral water, home-cooked food and protection from mosquitoes to Chidambaram.

The court also directed that Chidambaram's regular medical check-up should be done and disposed of the plea after senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Chidambaram, said they do not require any further direction.

On Thursday, the court had asked the director of AIIMS to form a medical board to provide opinion on Chidambaram's health and sought a report by today on whether the senior Congress leader needs to be admitted to the hospital.

The court was hearing Chidambaram’s plea for six-day interim bail to enable him to get examined by Reddy, his regular doctor, at the Asian Institute of Gastroenterology (AIG) in Hyderabad. In his application, Chidambaram has claimed that he needs “urgent medical treatment for acute and persistent abdominal pain being experienced” by him since October 5 due to Crohn’s disease, which he was diagnosed with in 2017.

Justice Suresh Kumar Kait said that Hyderabad-based gastroenterologist Nageshwar Reddy, who has been treating Chidambaram (74), be included in the board.

(With PTI inputs)