HC orders to shift Rakesh Wadhawan to KEM Hospital

The Bombay High Court on Thursday directed that Housing Development Infrastructure Limited (HDIL) director Rakesh Wadhawan be shifted to King Edward Memorial Hospital (KEM Hospital) from Kokilaben Ambani Hospital where he underwent a surgery for pacemaker implantation.

Justice Anuja Prabhudessai directed that Wadhawan be shifted to the BMC-run KEM hospital after the doctors from the private hospital said that he was fit to be shifted.

He was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for his alleged role in the multicrore money laundering scam involving Punjab and Maharashtra Co-operative (PMC) Bank.

Wadhawan had initially filed an application seeking interim bail so he could get admitted under the supervision of Dr Prashant Nair at the private hospital for adequate medical care and post-operative recovery at his own expense in addition to any bail conditions.

On February 3, the HC had permitted to shift Wadhawan to a private hospital for six weeks to undergo surgery under escort. The HC had then extended his stay at the private hospital for two more weeks. The court had also called for a report from Wadhawan’s doctor on the status of his health and whether he would be shifted back to the BMC-run hospital.

On Thursday, Wadhawan’s advocate, Niranjan Mundargi sought that he be permitted to stay at the private hospital for some more days as he suffers from various comorbidities and other ailments.

Mundargi further submitted that they were not pressing for his bail at the moment.

However, ED counsel Hiten Venegaonkar submitted a report of the doctors of Kokilaben Ambani Hospital which said that Wadhawan has successfully undergone the procedure for which he was admitted.

Based on the medical report, the HC has directed that Wadhwan be shifted back to KEM Hospital.

The court has asked the dean of KEM Hospital to decide whether he was fit to be shifted back to jail.