Dean of JJ Hospital T P Lahane appeared before a special PMLA court amid allegations that senior NCP leader and money laundering case accused Chaggan Bhujbal had “misused” the court order and stayed put at various hospitals.
Bhujbal, an accused in the multi-crore money laundering case registered against him by the Enforcement Directorate was on Wednesday discharged from the Bombay Hospital and sent to the state-run facility after his stay there since November 2 prompted criticism that he was receiving “preferential treatment”.
Lahane told the court that he does not have anything to add than what is mentioned in his reply, which he had submitted during the last hearing in this connection.
In his reply to the court, the Dean had said that JJ doesnt have any role in the stay of Bhujbal at the Bombay Hospital, where he had checked in for a medical test (thallium scan).
The senior doctor had also asserted that the hospital has not misused the court order.
This came after AAP activist Anjali Damania moved the court through an application where she alleged it was sheer negligence of duty by JJ Hospital and Arthur Road jail that Bhujbal has been in Bombay Hospital since November 2.
She had also alleged that court orders were misused as the Thallium scan does not require admission into a hospital.
The Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court was recently informed that the former Maharashtra deputy chief minister continued to remain in the private hospital over a month after he was admitted there for the medical test.
On October 27, Special Judge P R Bhavake had allowed Bhujbal to be taken to a private hospital after he was told that a Thallium scan, one of the three tests recommended to him, was not available at the government hospital.
On October 28, prison authorities took Bhujbal to JJ Hospital for other two tests. He was then transferred to Bombay Hospital.
The court is likely to hear the matter later in the day.
