Take Partha to AIIMS, Bhubaneswar: HC
Kolkata: Calcutta High Court instructed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to take former Education minister Partha Chatterjee to AIIMS, Bhubaneswar for treatment.
The court stated that Chatterjee be taken to the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata by an ambulance from the SSKM Hospital, where he is currently getting treated. The court also said that Chatterjee will be accompanied by his advocate and an SSKM doctor.
On Sunday night, Justice Bibek Chaudhuri directed AIIMS, Bhubaneswar that a team of doctors from Cardiology, Nephrology, Medicine and Endocrinology will examine Chatterjee and submit a report by 3 pm on Monday.
Copies of the examination reports will have to be given to the investigating agency, SSKM Hospital authority and the lawyer of the former Education minister.
Though Chatterjee was scheduled to be produced at the Special PMLA court in Bichar Bhaban on Monday, after completing two-day ED custody, the hearing now will be done virtually from Bhubaneswar.
Challenging the lower court's order to treat Chatterjee at the SSKM Hospital, ED had appealed before the Calcutta High Court to treat the former Education minister at the Joka ESI hospital or Command Hospital.
During the hearing, Justice Bibek Chaudhuri mentioned that the ED may bring doctors from the AIIMS, Delhi, to treat Chatterjee. However, the lawyer representing the central agency proposed to treat the former Education minister at the Kalyani AIIMS. Citing the recruitment scam in AIIMS, Kalyani, the single bench of the Calcutta High Court suggested that doctors from AIIMS, Bhubaneswar, can treat Chatterjee but he cannot be taken outside Bengal.
Therefore, the ED may bring doctors from Bhubaneswar to treat the veteran Trinamool Congress leader in Kolkata. However, the court later directed the ED to shift Chatterjee to Bhubaneswar in an air ambulance.