Kolkata, Jan 30 (IANS) The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) Monday asked the government to speed up the bail process of Mani Chhetri – a renowned doctor and one of the managing directors of AMRI Hospital here. However, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee reiterated that the law will take its own course in the case.
On Jan 27, Chhetri, 92, and AMRI director Pranab Dasgupta were picked up from their respective residences by the police following the devastating fire in the hospital which killed 94 people in December 2011.
The GJM leadership, led by Harka Bahadur Chetri, Monday met Banerjee on the issue.
“We have told the chief minister that law should take its own course, we have no problem with that. But we have also said that considering Chhetri’s age and his contribution to the field of medical science, his case should be moved to a fast track court so that he at least gets bail,” said Harka Bahadur Chettri.
The licence of the hospital was taken in the name of Chhetri, 92, a veteran general physician. Dasgupta is a leading gynaecologist.
A district court at Alipore later remanded the duo, charged under the Indian Penal Code’s section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), to police custody till Feb 2.
However, Chhetri was admitted to the state-run SSKM Hospital when he complained of cardio-vascular problems.
The chief minister said the arrest was justified.
“Many people are making an issue over the arrest of Mani Chetri. He has been arrested because he was the MD of the hospital. Can someone tell me that why he was holding the crucial post of MD at the age of 92? The licence of the hospital was taken in his name,” Banerjee told a Bengali news channel after the meeting.
“The case is now sub-judice. I will not interfere in the issue. The law will take its own course. One section of conspirators has hatched a conspiracy to humiliate the government,” she said.
Seven directors and four of the management staff are already behind bars following the country’s worst-ever hospital fire tragedy.
Six of the directors are now lodged in Alipore Correctional Home. The seventh director R.S. Agarwal continues to be admitted in SSKM Hospital following ill health since his arrest Dec 9, 2011 – the day of the incident.
A section of business community too has raised questions over the arrest of the directors and said that it would have an adverse impact on the industrialisation of the state.
“There is a difference between industrialisation and conspiracy. If anybody commits a murder then the law will take its own course because a murderer doesn’t belong to any caste or religion. I condemn them who are spreading these malicious rumours,” Banerjee added.
