In a key development, AIIMS Bhubaneswar Director Dr Ashutosh Biswas has confirmed that arrested West Bengal Minister Partha Chatterjee’s condition was stable and there was “nothing serious in nature” that was found. Speaking to reporters, Dr Biswas stated that Chatterjee’s condition was due to problems related to his chronic illness and announced that the TMC leader will be discharged today itself.
“He had problems because of his chronic illness. We investigated and the report has been submitted to the High Court. There was not much chest pain. He will be discharged today. Whatever the thing he had was due to chronic illness, nothing serious in nature,” he said.
Hours after Partha Chatterjee’s arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the West Bengal Minister was hospitalised in Kolkata over complaints of ‘uneasiness’. Chatterjee was admitted to the ICCU of the State-run SSKM Hospital on Saturday evening and later moved to a cabin after his condition improved “a bit”. Cardiologist Dr Saroj Mondal headed a team of doctors to look after Chatterjee and several tests including ECG were conducted on the TMC general secretary. “He is stable at the moment. A team of doctors is keeping a close watch on his condition,” the official said. Security personnel were also posted outside the minister’s cabin.
Thereafter, Chatterjee was airlifted to Bhubaneswar AIIMS on Monday morning on the directions of the Calcutta High Court. On the orders of the court, the TMC Minister was examined by the doctors of the Cardiology, Nephrology, Medicine, and Endocrinology departments. The hospital was asked to prepare a report and hand over the copies of the same to the Investigating Officer, Medical Officer of SSKM, and Advocate for TMC minister.
“The Investigating Officer shall forward a soft copy of the above-mentioned medical report to his counterpart in Calcutta who, in turn, shall produce it before the learned Special Judge under PML Act,” the court said.
While the CBI had been looking into the alleged irregularities in the recruitment of non-teaching staff (Group C & D), assistant teachers (Class IX-XII), and primary school teachers, the ED is probing the money laundering aspect. Partha Chatterjee was the Education Minister when this scam was allegedly pulled off.
He was interrogated by the CBI on April 26 and May 18. The ED arrested him after conducting raids at his Kolkata residence for over 26 hours. Moreover, it seized Rs.20 crore in cash from his aide Arpita Mukherjee’s residential premises. He was sent to ED custody till July 25.
A special PMLA court is currently hearing the ED’s plea seeking his further remand on the basis of a report prepared by a team of specialist doctors in Cardiology, Nephrology, Respiratory Medicines, and Endocrinology after medically examining the accused.
