Amritsar, January 25
The undertrials and convicts, who enjoy high connections, enjoy comforts of home by getting themselves admitted to government hospitals. However, the doctors claim that they don’t have any other option but to treat the undertrials or convicts once referred by medical officers of the jail. The jail hospital is ‘ill-equipped’.
An owner of a poultry farm, arrested on the charge of murder, was admitted to the hospital. He would go to his home everyday. On a tip-off, the accused was caught from his home and four policemen on guard were suspended.
Mr M.S. Kang, a former chairman, Punjab Forest Corporation, who was arrested by the Vigilance Bureau on corruption charges spent a fortnight in the family ward of the government hospital.
The Anti-Addiction Committee, headed by Mr Ramesh Yadav, has alleged that a person who was facing trial for smuggling of narcotics was admitted to the orthopaedic ward of Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital here. One undertrial, who was arrested by the Ferozepore police, was admitted to the hospital here. The doctor attending on him referred him to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. However, the undertrial succeeded in fleeing on way to New Delhi.
Dr R.P. Shoparai, head of the orthopaedic, said that he had never provided ‘undue’ favour to any undertrial or convict. He, however, said that if any of them fled it was laxity of police personnel guarding him. He said doctors could admit the undertrials or convicts as per the roaster of the Health Department. He further said that nobody was ever admitted without proper escort by the jail authorities.
Dr H.S. Gill, Medical Superintendent, however, refuted the charges that favour ever been shown to any undertrial or convict. He, however, admitted that on an average five convicts or undertrials at a time remain under treatment in government hospitals of the city.
