SC sends rebel MP Raju to Army Hospital for medical exam

Vijayawada: The Supreme Court on Monday called for the medical examination of rebel YSR Congress Lok Sabha member K. Raghu Ramakrishna Raju at the Army Hospital, Secunderabad. He had been arrested by the state CID on charges of sedition and sent to 14-day judicial remand by the CID Court, Guntur.

The SC bench comprising Justice Vineet Saran and Justice BR Gavai ordered that a three-member medical board would examine the MP in the presence of a judicial officer named by the Telangana high court. It would submit a report to the apex court. The court asked the board to videograh entire proceedings.

Acting fast, the AP government arranged for Raju’s transit from Guntur jail to Secunderabad this evening.

The top brass of the state administration adopted a cautious approach on the maverick MP right from his arrest. It left it to the judiciary to decide on the examination of alleged injuries he had, as also his treatment and hospitalization.

The Andhra Pradesh High Court has appointed a three-member medical board headed by Guntur General Hospital superintendent to examine if the MP was inflicted injuries by police during his custody and asked the board to decide on further hospitalization. Within a few hours, the CID court asked the police to get his injuries examined by the board and a team of doctors of Ramesh Hospitals.

The apex court finally gave a direction to the Army Hospital, Secunderabad to examine and submit a report.

“Except for opposing the examination and treatment at Ramesh Hospitals, which itself is facing several criminal charges, the government did not interfere with the judicial process,” a senior police official stressed.

The SC took up two petitions -- one filed by Raju himself on medical examination and another by his son Bharat Raju challenging the HC’s rejection of bail to his father.

Senior counsels Mukul Rohtagi and Dushyant Dave represented Raju and the state government respectively. At one stage, the bench adjourned the proceedings and sought the opinion of the Centre.

While Raju’s counsel wanted the medical examination done at the AIIMS, New Delhi, the AP government suggested the AIIMS, Mangalagiri, or the Manipal Hospital in Guntur. The SC bench decided to entrust the task to the Army Hospital, Secunderabad. On bail, the court directed the state to file counters and posted the case to Friday.

The apex court also said Raju could be admitted to the Army Hospital and kept there for medical care until further orders. The hospitalization will be considered as part of judicial remand and expenses of treatment, if any, shall be borne by the MP, the bench said. It also ordered that the Y category security would escort Raju till the hospital and need not be present during the medical examination.