Claiming that there an inordinate delay in his deportation process, Desai had last month threatened to go on a hunger strike from January 4. Accordingly, he stopped taking food and water and was admitted to Sassoon Hospital on Saturday afternoon due to failing health. He was released from the hospital around 3.30 pm of Sunday after his condition improved. However, Desai said he will continue his hunger strike till he was deported to Pakistan.

The city police had arrested Desai in June 1999 for allegedly passing vital information to Pakistani intelligence agency. The police had also arrested his wife in Kolhapur on the charge of overstaying. She had admitted that her husband was working for the ISI.

When Desai pleaded guilty in October 2007, the court sentenced him to seven years rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs 50,000. By that time he had already spent over eight years in jail. He was released from the Yerawada Central Prison on October 27 and since then is under the supervision of the Sahakarnagar police. The Pune police then submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in New Delhi to expedite his deportation to Pakistan.

Legal experts argue that Pakistan government is not keen in deportation of Desai as it might tarnish its image at the international-level. However, Desai’s lawyer Vidyadhar Koshe said the Pune police failed to make the arrangements for his client’s deportation. With no options left, Desai went on a hunger strike.

Desai has also filed an affidavit before the chief judicial magistrate Yashwant Chaware through Koshe saying the proposal for his deportation was not forwarded to the Pakistan embassy by the MHA.