Chitra Athwani who was summoned twice by Commissionerate Police in connection with the arrest of Deccan Chronicle group Vice-Chairman PK Iyer from Hotel Trident, has expressed her inability to appear before the police citing that she is injured after a fall at her home.
Athwani, who has sent a letter to the Nayapalli police, maintained that she is undergoing treatment in a Ranchi hospital for injuries sustained in her spinal cord after falling in her home and also attached a medical certificate to her letter. She has requested to be exempted from questioning for now, said police sources. Athwani’s letter expressing her inability to depose now leaves the police with two options, either wait for her to recover, which her letter says could take about two months, or send the investigating officer (IO) to record her statement in Ranchi, sources said.
Reportedly, Athwani has applied for anticipatory bail in the Odisha High Court last month. The police have served summons to Athwani twice, the first time on June 16, and the second time on July 1, after finding that Iyer was staying in a room in the hotel booked in her name.