Hyderabad, June 6
The visitor’s log at a state-run hospital, where the mastermind of India’s biggest corporate fraud B Ramalinga Raju is staying, tells a revealing story.
The former chairman of Satyam Computers has received over 270 visitors in three months but has been dodging the trial and avoiding court on grounds of ‘frail’ health.
The CBI, which is probing the Rs 7,800-crore scam, has been asking one simple question: When Raju can meet a steady stream of visitors in his hospital room throughout the day, why cannot he attend the court?
The investigative agency has challenged the report of doctors at Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) which suggested that Raju was so unwell that he could not be produced before the special court which is hearing the case nor could he run the risk of facing the investigators.
Raju, who stunned the corporate world by confessing to fudging the company accounts, has been receiving a large number of visitors, including his family members, lawyers and friends.
According to the NIMS report, Raju is suffering from Hepatitis C, inflammation of the lungs and also heart disease and needs to stay in the hospital for a few more weeks. However, quoting the hospital’s visitor register, the CBI said it showed that Raju had been meeting more visitors everyday in contravention of the rules and the court orders. He was admitted to the NIMS in December last year and has been ensconced in a special room since then.
The investigating agency filed a petition before the special court seeking his trial through video link. However, Raju, his brother and former Managing Director of Satyam Rama Raju and other accused in the scam, opposed video trial. “It is clear that Raju is
avoiding trail on a false ground. When he can see so many visitors in his room and talk to them, why cannot he attend the court?” the CBI Deputy Inspector General VV Lakshminarayana said.
When the CBI expressed doubts over Raju’s health, the court had directed the NIMS authorities to submit a detailed report about his condition. “His health condition is alarming. He runs high risk of contacting severe infections outside if he is moved out of the hospital,” the report submitted by Dr Ajit Kumar, head of Gastroenterology, the NIMS, said.
Raju’s White Blood Corpuscle (WBC) count was much below normal and had developed complications due to anti-viral treatment, it said. The NIMS report, submitted in March, maintained that it was not possible to produce Raju in the court as his health condition was alarming. “He needs at least four to six weeks to recover from side effects caused by anti-viral treatment for Hepatitis-C. It is not advisable to take him outside the hospital,” the report said.
