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Journalism of Courage
The Bombay High Court Friday directed the state health and home departments to initiate action against the officials who prima facie appear to have aided Suresh Bijlani,an accused in the murder of Navi Mumbai builder Sunil Lohariya,to stay in hospital while in judicial custody.
Necessary and requisite steps have to be taken in the form of action not only against the errant police officials,but also against the civil hospital doctors who assisted the accused in getting admitted and allowing him to remain there for a month under the garb of illness, the court said. It directed the government authorities to take action within four months.
Lohariyas son Sandeep had moved the court alleging that the Thane police authorities had taken no action against Bijlani,who even though under arrest,was using a cellphone,meeting office associates and was being driven to the court in a Mercedez Benz.
Earlier,the court had pulled up the police for not making any effort send Bijlani back to jail.
On September 23,the court asked Deputy Commissioner of Police Satyanarayan Chaudhary to take over the investigation of the case. The DCP was asked to ascertain the medical condition of the accused by procuring his medical records from J J Hospital where he was examined by doctors.
Additional public prosecutor Purnima Kantharia informed the court Friday that Bijlani had been brought back to Thane prison on September 22.
We appreciate the steps taken by the DCP,but what we find is that until the high court intervened no steps were taken by the investigating agency. Serious lapses have been noticed, Justices S C Dharmadhikari and Gautam Patel observed.
The court also stated that if Bijlani complains about medical problems,the permission of a sessions judge will be sought and he will be taken to J J Hospital and not to Thane civil hospital for treatment.
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