HC notice to JJ Hospital dean over Bhujbal’s hospitalisation
THE HIGH COURT HAS ASKED LAHANE WHY CONTEMPT PROCEEDINGS MUST NOT BE INITIATED AGAINST HIM FOR HELPING BHUJBAL
The Bombay high court on Friday issued a notice to the dean of the staterun JJ Hospital, Dr TP Lahane, asking him why contempt proceedings must not be initiated against him for having aided Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Chhagan Bhujbal to remain in a private hospital for over a month, in violation of a lower court’s orders.
A bench of Justices Ranjit More and Anuja Prabhudessai granted four weeks to Dr Lahane to respond to the notice. The directions came while the court was hearing a reference from the lower court.
In January this year, a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court found Lahane guilty of contempt of court for his role in the extended stay of Bhujbal at the Bombay Hospital, in violation of the court’s order. Bhujbal — who has been in custody since his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in March 2016 — was permitted to visit the Bombay Hospital for a medical test that usually takes a few hours. Bhujbal, however, ended up staying at Bombay hospital for over a month.
Activist Anjali Damania then moved the PMLA court alleging negligence of duty on the part of the JJ Hospital staff and the Arthur Road jail authorities.
The PMLA court allowed Damania’s plea and said that in recommending the test and related medical treatment for Bhujbal at Bombay Hospital, Lahane had wilfully disobeyed the court’s orders.
The PMLA court held that Lahane was guilty of contempt of court and since contempt proceedings could only be initiated by the high court, it referred the matter to the Bombay high court for taking necessary action.
On October 27, Bhujbal was allowed by the court to leave the Arthur Road Jail premises for a thallium scan at a private hospi tal.
The court had said that after the scan, Bhujbal must visit JJ Hospital and then return to Arthur Road Jail. It had also held the JJ hospital dean responsible to ensure compli ance of the its orders.
Bhujbal was accordingly transferred to Bombay Hospita for the scan on November 2 However, he returned to Arthur Road jail only on December 13 following the court’s interven tion.