The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : ‘Known rowdy’ admitted to MCH flouting norms

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Monday, Jun 25, 2007
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Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

‘Known rowdy’ admitted to MCH flouting norms

Staff Reporter

‘Kannanmoola’ Rajesh arrested and shifted to Central Prison

Internal probe finds ‘irregular’ admission to the hospital
Police to proceed against doctor for harbouring accused

Thiruvananthapuram: The Medical College Hospital (MCH) authorities have found that ‘Kannanmoola’ Rajesh, an alleged gang leader recently declared a `known rowdy’ under the provisions of the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Ordinance, has been admitted to the hospital in a highly irregular manner.

A senior orthopaedic doctor had ‘diagnosed’ Rajesh with a spinal cord ailment and admitted him for prolonged treatment in an expensive deluxe payward under the ‘Ortho-4’ unit of the hospital on June 12.

An internal inquiry established that June 12 was not the admission day for the ‘Ortho-4’ unit. The authorities also found that the name and designation of the admitting medical officer was not mentioned in the casualty ticket.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Harshita Attaluri had requested the MCH authorities to constitute a medical board to examine Rajesh after the police suspected that he had got himself admitted to the hospital on false grounds to evade imprisonment.

Earlier, the District Collector had issued a preventive detention order against Rajesh on the basis of a police report that he was a serious threat to public peace. (Rajesh was an accused in several cases, including attempt to murder and extortion. He was recently arrested in connection with the attack on a retired police officer.)

The police arrested Rajesh at the MCH and asked the authorities to move him to the hospital’s special cell for prisoners. However, the doctor turned down the request on the ground that Rajesh’s medical condition did not allow him to be shifted.

The medical board comprising three doctors examined Rajesh and found that he was not under a ‘life-threatening’ condition and could be very well be shifted to the prisoner’s cell. The board said that Rajesh did not suffer from any deformity of the spine.

There was also no ‘neurological deficit’ in his lower limbs. However, there was some evidence of arthritis. The board consisted of V.K. Sreekala, K.C. Suresh Kumar and C.S. Vikraman.

Rajesh was shifted to the Central Prison on Saturday after the MCH authorities asked the doctor in writing to discharge the suspect. Meanwhile, the city police were preparing to proceed against the doctor on the charge of harbouring a ‘known rowdy’ against whom the district magistrate had issued an arrest warrant.

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