HC directs CBI to maintain status quo on proceedings against Rakesh Asthana till Nov 1
New Delhi, Oct 29 : The Delhi High Court Monday ordered the CBI to maintain status quo till November 1 on proceedings against its Special Director Rakesh Asthana, who was sent on leave by the government.
A bench of Justice Najmi Waziri questioned the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for not filing reply to pleas of Asthana and another official Devender Kumar, Deputy Superintendent of Police, seeking quashing of FIR lodged against them.
CBI has lodged FIR against Asthana and Kumar in connection with bribery allegations.
The high court also directed the CBI to file reply on the two pleas on or before November 1.
The CBI prosecutor told the high court that delay in filing of reply occurred as the case files have been sent to Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) and sought more time for filing the response.
Kumar, earlier the investigating officer in a case involving meat exporter Moin Qureshi, was arrested on October 22 on the allegations of forgery in recording the statement of businessman Sathish Sana, who had alleged to have paid bribe to get relief in the case.
The high court had on October 23 directed the CBI to maintain status quo on the criminal proceedings initiated against its special director Asthana, who has challenged the FIR lodged against him on bribery allegations.
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Kozhikode Medical College smoke incident: Hospital denies deaths due to inhalation, probe ordered
Kozhikode: Questions have been raised following the death of five patients at the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital after a smoke incident reportedly triggered by a short circuit in the UPS storage room near the casualty wing.
The incident occurred around 8:00 p.m. on Friday when smoke was detected emanating from the UPS room. Hospital authorities immediately began relocating patients from the affected ward, which has since been sealed for a detailed investigation.
While the hospital administration maintains that none of the deaths were due to smoke inhalation, Congress MLA from Wayanad, T. Siddique, has alleged that at least three patients died as a result of inhaling the smoke. He cited the case of a 44-year-old patient named Nazeera, claiming that she died after being removed from a ventilator amid the smoke.
According to hospital officials, four of the deceased had passed away prior to the smoke incident, while the fifth was brought in already dead. Siddique has publicly challenged this version and demanded accountability.
State Health Minister Veena George has directed an inquiry into the incident. The Kerala Director of Medical Education will lead the investigation to ascertain the exact cause and circumstances surrounding the incident.
Authorities have confirmed that 34 patients from the casualty department have been shifted to nearby hospitals as a precautionary measure. Post-mortem examinations will be conducted if requested by the families of the deceased.
Kozhikode Medical College Hospital, a crucial healthcare facility for residents of Kozhikode, Wayanad, and Malappuram districts, is among the busiest public hospitals in Kerala.
