A day before the Khordha District and Sessions Judge Court hearing the bail plea of Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital owner Manoj Ranjan Nayak on Tuesday, the Khandagiri police on Monday visited the Director of Medical Education and Training (DMET) office here and sought certain documents regarding the registration of the private health institute.
Meanwhile on the day, another fire tragedy victim patient of the SUM Hospital succumbed to his injuries at the AMRI Hospital, taking the SUM death toll to 27.
The deceased was Pirath Singh (77) of Jashipur in Mayurbhanj district, a cardiac patient.
The investigating team led by Khandagiri police station IIC Sarat Sahu met Joint DMET UK Satpathy and requested him to hand over the licence-related documents of the SUM Hospital which would be helpful to probe the fire incident further.
A day after the October 17 mishap, the DMET had filed an FIR with the Khandagiri police alleging that the SUM Hospital was operating without valid registration.
“They came for certain documents. We will extend out support in the investigation process to the police. We will hand over all necessary documents to the police,” said Joint DMET Satpathy.
Police also talked to Kalpana Fire Station officials and asked them about the probable sequences that led to the major fire mishap.
In the FIR, the DMET had alleged that the hospital had no effective and reliable firefighting and fire controlling mechanisms which led to the death of the patients. Preliminary investigation reports attributed deaths of patients due to asphyxiation caused due to thick smoke emanating from fire.
Meanwhile, Nayak’s wife Saswati Das against, whom a police lookout Circular is still in force, continued to be elusive on Monday. She is one of the trustees of the Siksha ‘O’ Anusandahan Charitable Trust, swhich manages the SUM Hospital.
Sources said police on the day issued summons to Das and her sister, another trustee, to appear before them within seven days, failing which legal action would be initiated against them as per law.
Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC), Central Division, AB Ota, also probing the fire mishap, has sought affidavits from general public and people directly or indirectly connected with the hospital by November 3.
He said he would try to submit its report to the Government within the stipulated time of two months.
Meanwhile, for the second time, police interrogated SOA University VC Amit Banerjee over the fire tragedy at the Khandagiri police station. The SUM Hospital is part of the university
“I have fully cooperated with the police and have presented every relevant document to them,” said Banerjee.