Twitter
Advertisement

Bhubaneshwar fire: Enforcement Directorate asked to probe trust's transactions for black money

Manoj Ranjan Nayak, founder president of Sikshya O Anusandhan Charitable Trust surrendered before the police.

Latest News
article-main
FacebookTwitterWhatsappLinkedin

Founder president of the trust that ran the hospital in Bhubaneshwar where a massive blaze killed 21 people was arrested on Thursday even as the SIT on black money asked the Enforcement Directorate to probe the trust's money transactions while the Odisha Government issued a show cause notice to the medical facility for license scrapping.

Manoj Ranjan Nayak, founder president of Sikshya O Anusandhan Charitable Trust that runs the SUM Hospital here, surrendered before the police and was taken to an undisclosed location for interrogation, barely hours after the Odisha police issued a Lookout Circular against him and his wife Saswati Das, also a trustee.

After hours of interrogation by the police, Nayak was produced in the evening before Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate Kamala Kanta Nayak who sent him on police remand for two days from Friday after rejecting his bail application. With Nayak's arrest the total number of people arrested by police in connection with the fire tragedy on Monday evening rose to five. Manoj Nayak was arrested after he surrendered at Khandagiri Police Station and taken for interrogation, Commissioner of Police, YB Khurania told reporters.

Meanwhile, the Odisha government has issued a show cause notice to Sum Hospital asking it to explain as to why its clinical licence would not be cancelled in wake of the fire mishap in which 21 peopled were killed. The notice was issued by Khurda District Collector, which had on July 7 granted a conditional certificate of registration for a clinical establishment.

The Bhubaneswar Development Authority has launched a probe verifying whether the hospital building was constructed as per its approved plan. Even as Nayak was being interrogated, information came that the the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Black Money has asked the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to probe the financial transactions of the trust he headed.

ED has been directed to examine all financial transactions of the trust that runs several institutions including the SUM Hospital. Officials said the vice-chairman of the Supreme Court- appointed SIT on black money Justice Arijit Pasayat has also asked Odisha Police to cooperate with the ED during its probe. "We have received a letter from the SIT on black money last night asking us to cooperate with the ED which is to probe money transactions of Sikshya O Anusandhan Charitable Trust," said Director General of Police K B Singh.

The SIT has asked the police to ensure that no document or evidence pertaining to financial transactions of the trust including the hospital are tampered with, he said. Earlier, four senior officials of Sum Hospital including its Superintendent Pushparaj Samantasinghar were arrested on Tuesday night on the basis of an FIR lodged by the state's fire service department. 

The hospital officials were booked under section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 285 (Negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter) and 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of IPC.

Samantasinghar was also produced before the SDJM earlier in the day and sent to jail. Bhubaneshwar Police Commissioner said more people could be arrested during the course of investigation Meanwhile, the BJP on Friday lodged a police complaint against Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and state Health Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, naming them as accused in the SUM Hospital fire incident.

In its complaint filed at Capital police station here, BJP Odisha unit demanded that Patnaik and Nayak be made co-accused in the case. As Fire Services is under Home Department headed by him, Patnaik should also be held responsible for violation of fire safety rules, the complaint alleged.

The party also demanded resignation of the Health Minister. On the other hand, a large number of supporters of Manoj Ranjan Nayak staged demonstration protesting his arrest in front of Khandagiri Police Station here. The demonstrators, including employees of SOA University and residents of nearby villages, protested against the arrest of Nayak.

Meanwhile, the Odisha government for the first time admitted lapses in the fire safety measures in Sum Hospital. "There was lapse in fire safety measures of Sum Hospital. Action will be taken as per provisions of law," the Odisha Health minister said, a day after Union Health Minister J P Nadda pointed out faults in safety measures in the facility.

The hospital was also accused of overlooking a 2013 advisory of the government to improve firefighting apparatus. Nayak's statement came three days after a massive fire broke out in the hospital. 

The government is yet to receive reports of two separate inquiries being conducted by the Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC) and Director of Medical Education and Training (DMET). "I have been told to complete the inquiry within two months. I hope to complete it earlier," RDC, Central Division, A B Otta told reporters.

A separate FIR has also been filed against the Sum hospital authorities on behalf of DMET alleging gross negligence in putting in place adequate fire safety measures at the health care facility. 

Find your daily dose of news & explainers in your WhatsApp. Stay updated, Stay informed-  Follow DNA on WhatsApp.
Advertisement

Live tv

Advertisement
Advertisement