Karnataka - Bangalore

Telgi's certificates: `procedure ignored'

Staff Reporter

Deposition recorded in case against doctors for helping accused to get bail

BANGALORE: Required procedures were not followed and the necessary tests were not conducted before issuing two medical certificates to Abdul Karim Telgi, main accused in the multi-crore stamp paper racket, K. Siddaraju, who was the Superintendent of Victoria Hospital in 2002, told the Special Court trying the stamp paper racket cases, on Thursday. He was deposing in the case in which two doctors, Channakeshava and Gyanendrappa, formerly with Victoria Hospital, have been charged with taking bribe and giving false medical certificates to Telgi enabling him get bail. All the three have been booked under the provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act.

During the examination by B.R. Nanjundaiah, Senior Special Public Prosecutor of the Central Bureau of Investigation, Dr. Siddaraju said the letter written on June 6, 2002 by the Chief Medical Officer of Bangalore Central Prison hospital referring Telgi for further medical tests "was not brought to his notice". In the referral letter, Prasad Kumar, Chief Medical Officer, had said Telgi suffered from diabetes, hypertension and had vomited blood.

Dr. Siddaraju said there were no indications on the medical record to show that Telgi was subjected to all the tests. "It looks as though Dr. Gyanendrappa has issued two medical certificates without reports of the medical tests," he said and added that Dr. Gyanendrappa had not followed the procedure necessary for issuing medical certificates.

The Judge, A.T. Munnoli, adjourned the cross examination of Dr. Siddaraju and Dr. Prasad Kumar, following an application by S. Shankarappa, advocate for Dr. Channakeshava, seeking medical records of Telgi prior to May 9, 2002. Mr. Nanjundaiah objected by stating that the earlier medical records were not relevant to the case.

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