Date:15/07/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/07/15/stories/2004071509990400.htm

Karnataka

Doctor held after raid at Victoria Hospital

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, JULY 14. A team of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officers investigating the stamp paper racket in the State on Wednesday raided the offices and residences of two government doctors attached to Victoria Hospital. The doctors had provided treatment to Abdul Karim Telgi, the prime accused in the racket, during his judicial remand here. One of the doctors was arrested.

The CBI officers in two teams raided the offices and residences of Jnanendrappa and Channa Keshava and recovered documents related to their properties. They arrested Channa Keshava, Administrative Officer of Victoria Hospital, and will produce him before the Special Judge (Fake Stamp Cases), on Thursday.

The officers first went to the doctors' houses in the morning and later to their chambers in the out-patient department (OPD) of the hospital.

A few days earlier, the CBI examined Jnanendrappa. It is alleged that the doctors had issued medical reports and certificates to enable Telgi to get bail from the courts. Hospital sources said Jnanendrappa had gone on leave and was taking treatment at Minto Hospital. In a press note, the CBI said it would take action to seek police custody of Jnanendrappa, who is a professor of medicine. The two doctors are reportedly facing corruption cases instituted by the Lokayukta, according to a CBI press note.

In March 2004, the Supreme Court directed the CBI to investigate 48 of the 158 stamp scam cases registered in the country. They included 10 cases from Karnataka.