Manoj Ranjan Nayak, the chairman of Sikshya O Anusandhan Charitable Trust that runs the Sum Hospital where 21 people were killed in a fire mishap, was today arrested after he surrendered before police here
Bhubaneswar: Manoj Ranjan Nayak, the chairman of Sikshya O Anusandhan Charitable Trust that runs the Sum Hospital where 21 people were killed in a fire mishap, was today arrested after he surrendered before police here. With the arrest of Nayak, the number of those held in connection with the fire tragedy now stands at five.
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"Manoj Nayak surrenders at Khandagiri Police Station. He is arrested and under interrogation," Commissioner of Police, Y B Khurania told reporters.
Sources said Nayak surrendered at the Khandagiri Police Station at about 3.30 AM. He was taken to an undisclosed destination where the police officers were interrogating him.
Last evening the commissinorate of Police had issued a Look Out Circular in the name of Nayak and Saswati Das, both trustees of the charitable trust.
The police had informed all the airports and railway stations to ensure that Nayak and his wife Saswati do not escape from the state capital. The Ministry of Home affairs was also apprised about the police action in this regard, Khurania said.
"We may go for arrest of more people during course of investigation," he said. The police issued LOC after Union Health Minister J P Nadda made it clear to the state government that persons responsible for the fire tragedy should not not go scot free. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had also assured the state
that all the guilty persons would be taken to task. Two days ago, the police had arrested four senior officials including the medical superintendent of Sum Hospital Pushparaj Samantasinghar. They were booked under section 304. 308, 285 and 34 of IPC.
The four officials were arrested on the basis of an FIR lodged by the state government's fire service department. A case was registered against the authorities of Sum Hospital which has been accused of overlooking a 2013 advisory of state government to improve its firefighting mechanism. The hospital
does not possess a fire safety certificate.
Earlier, two separate FIRs were lodged by Joint Director of the Directorate of Medical Education and Training (DMET), Umakanta Satpathy and Fire Officer (Central Circle) B B Das with the Khandagiri police station, said ACP P K Patnaik. In both the cases, allegations of negligence in conduct and safety were levelled against the Sum hospital authorities, he said adding, some other organisations have also lodged complaints against the hospital.
State Health and Family Welfare minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak said the Joint Director of DMET lodged an FIR against the hospital for alleged violation of provisions under Odisha Clinic and Establishment Act, 1992. "DMET had earlier issued guidelines to hospitals and clinical establishments across the state asking them to put in place fire safety measures. Licenses of those found flouting these guidelines will be cancelled," he said.
DMET Prof P C Mohapatra, who has been leading an inquiry team, visited the hospital this afternoon and said the guilty would definitely be punished.
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