HC asks CBI to probe arrest of AP doc who flagged PPE ‘shortage’

Srikanth.Aluri@timesgroup.com

Vijayawada:  23.05.2020

The Andhra Pradesh high court on Friday ordered a CBI inquiry into the arrest of senior anesthetist Dr Kolaventi Sudhakar, who was suspended by the state for voicing concern over alleged shortage of masks and PPE kits in Narsipatnam area hospital in Visakhapatnam. He was posted at the hospital. The HC also ordered the CBI to register cases against all police officials connected with the arrest and submit an interim report within eight weeks.

Sudhakar was arrested by Visakhapatnam police on May 16 on allegations of misbehaviour, obstructing the duties of police and abusing the chief minister and the prime minister.. Later, he was shifted to a mental health facility stating that he is mentally unstable. “When coronavirus hit China I had warned that it will kill many people. No one listened to me. We had to wear a mask for 15 days,” Sudhakar told media while he was being bundled into an autorickshaw by police. He had also attacked CM Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Police they had found Sudhakar allegedly in an inebriated condition on a main road in the city. His hands were tied and he was dumped into a vehicle before being taken to a police station. The anesthetist was half-naked when he was arrested. The action had invited the wrath of the Indian Medical Association (IMA).

Earlier, the HC had directed that Sudhakar be produced before a magistrate and his statement recorded. The HC, after examining the Visakhapatnam district judge’s report, found many deviations from the report submitted earlier by the chief secretary, the DGP, and the medical certificate given by the Visakhapatnam government hospital’s doctor. The district judge in his report mentioned there were six injuries on the doctor’s body. The affidavit filed by the chief secretary and DGP mentioned only one. The judge also attached photos with his report.

The court also observed that videos submitted by the officials seemed to be edited excerpts and not raw footage. The magistrate did not feel Dr Sudhakar was mentally unstable whereas the officials stated that he was shifted to a mental hospital as he was not in a sound mental condition.

Amicus curie P Veera Reddy said the issue needed to be investigated by an independent agency as there were many unanswered questions, following which the court ordered a CBI inquiry. The bench said the case registered against Dr Sudhakar by cops should also be transferred to the CBI.

Full report on www.toi.in

Dr Sudhakar during his arrest in Vizag on May 16