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  India   2 days after fire, Odisha hospital promoter held

2 days after fire, Odisha hospital promoter held

Published : Oct 21, 2016, 2:21 am IST
Updated : Oct 21, 2016, 2:21 am IST

Sum Hospital promoter Manoj Nayak was arrested shortly after surrendering before the Khandagiri police here on Thursday morning.

Sum Hospital promoter Manoj Nayak was arrested shortly after surrendering before the Khandagiri police here on Thursday morning.

Mr Nayak surrendered at 3.30 am in connection with the fire at the privately-run hospital which claimed 21 lives. Mr Nayak’s arrest takes to five the number of those held in connection with the fire tragedy, which also left scores injured.

Even as he was being interrogated, information came that the special investigation team (SIT) on Black Money has asked the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to probe financial transactions of the trust he headed.

Though the reason behind the SIT order was not immediately known, a senior police official said the ED has been directed to examine all financial transactions of the trust that runs several institutions, including the SUM Hospital.

On Wednesday evening, the Bhubaneswar-Cuttack commissionerate police had issued a lookout notice against Mr Nayak and his wife Saswati Das after registering two separate FIRs filed by the Directorate of Fire Services and Director of Medical Education and Training. The FIRs charged the Sum Hospital authorities of wilful negligence, poor patient management and poor evacuation of patients.

Manoj and his wife Saswati are trustees of Siksha O. Anusandhan Charitable Trust that runs the private hospital. Efforts were on to apprehend Saswati Das, source informed. Sources said the Manoj was being interrogated by the police with regard to the fire mishap and violations of several protocols and statutory norms by the hospital. A circular has also been issued to prevent Manoj and his wife from moving out of country.

On Wednesday night, the police had raided the office of Manoj and seized important documents. However, during the raid on his house at Dharma Vihar, the police found the house locked and the mobile phone of Manoj switched off.

Sources in the commissionerate police said special plans were made for investigation on the basis of seizure of important documents.

Besides, investigation is on into the work and role of the some officials of Sum Hospital. Going by the sequence of events and the preliminary investigation, the number of arrests could increase, the sources added.

Location: India, Odisha, Bhubaneswar