Hyderabad, May 21: The Nizam Institute of Medical Sciences ( NIMS)’ s Mettu Ranga Reddy special ward can qualify as B. Ramalinga Raju’s second home.
He has been recuperating in that plush hospital room from a heart attack and Hepatitis C since September 7, 2009 — almost nine months after the Satyam scam surfaced.
The medical report says the former Satyam boss suffers from Hepatitis C and other ailments. He also had alveolitis, an inflammation of the lungs, and coronary heart disease. Hence, he should be in the hospital as long as he remains unwell.
In fact, Raju is believed to be so unwell that he cannot be produced in court, nor can he face CBI investigators because of the risk of catching an infection.
Hence, 17 months after confessing to his crime and a 65,000 page Serious Fraud Investigation Office chargesheet against him, the country’s most famous self- confessed white collar criminal is yet to be interrogated by the CBI. But a look at the hospital’s visitor logbook gives the impression that Raju has been deliberately evading questioning by the CBI. The logbook entries show that he has been meeting his sons Teja and Rama Raju as well as his lawyers regularly. Over a period of 120 days, Raju had a steady stream of visitors — three to four daily on an average.
On December 19 last year, Raju had five visitors — Teja and his lawyers Bharat Kumar, Nalini Kumar, Padmanab Reddy and T. S. Reddy. He met each one of them for about an hour each from 11.30 am till 8.00 pm.
On February 2 this year, Raju had an astonishing six visitors, even though he is supposed to be in judicial custody.
The meetings began at 10.50 am and continued till 8.10 pm.
The only problem is that CBI sleuths can’t meet him. Last month, the court asked that if Raju is attending visitors regularly, why couldn’t he attend the court? According to doctors, it is not advisable to take him outside the hospital.
Once his parameters stabilise, he may be able to go to court. This may take another three- four weeks.
If Raju cannot risk any infection because his white blood cell count is low, how is it that he is meeting his sons and lawyers? Normally, a person suffering from Hepatitis C can lead a normal life.
But in Raju’s case, the medical report says he requires close monitoring because the medicines given to him are toxic and could have side- effects.
“ If one has Hepatitis C, it is not that a person cannot walk or talk. If he or she cannot come to the court, then someone from the court can certainly visit the person in the hospital,” M. Wali, senior physician at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in Delhi, said.
On the other hand, Raju’s lawyer Bharat Kumar blamed the CBI for delaying the questioning.
—Agencies