DT Next Impact: Prison dept orders probe into Puzhal bribegate
The sources in the prison HQ have not ruled out the possibility of the involvement of certain jail officials in the large-scale corruption by the doctors of the prison hospital and added that certain officials are under the scanner of the department’s Vigilance team.
Application for treatment by a prison inmate (right)
CHENNAI: Following DT Next exposé, ‘Haves buy way out of jail to hospital, have-nots die waiting’, published on Thursday, the Tamil Nadu Prison Department, on Friday, initiated a department-level Vigilance inquiry into allegations of large-scale corruption by doctors in Puzhal Central Prison in referring inmates to outside hospitals.
“We are aware of the issue. But the doctors there do not come under our control. They come under the administrative control of the Health department. During the last six months, we have asked for the transfer of two doctors. While one was shifted, the Health Department is still sitting on the request to transfer the other doctor,” disclosed sources in the prison headquarters here.
“Unless the doctors and other hospital staff are brought under the control of the Prison department, we will not be able to control them,” added the prison headquarters sources.
The sources in the prison HQ have not ruled out the possibility of the involvement of certain jail officials in the large-scale corruption by the doctors of the prison hospital and added that certain officials are under the scanner of the department’s Vigilance team.
Read: DT Next Exposé: Anbumani urges relief to prisoners died due to bribery
Deprived hospital care for 100 days for refusing to bribe, says lawyer
Meanwhile, a lawyer who spent more than 100 days in Puzhal prison claimed that he was not taken to a hospital outside despite his request because he was not ready to bribe the doctors.
“I gave my representation on a Friday, September 15. They usually collect hospital requests from inmates on Fridays and take them to outside hospitals. While a few others were taken to an outside hospital, my request was rejected saying there were not enough police personnel to give escort. They never took me to the hospital because I was not ready to pay, which I realised by the middle of the next week only,” said noted lawyer S Zahir Hussian, who was in preventive detention in a COFAPOSA Act case.
“If it is very urgent, get a court order,” Hussain quoted the prison doctor as telling him when he raised the issue. Zahir Hussain’s detention order was issued more than 12 years ago and after a long legal battle, it was executed earlier this year.
He was released after 112 days from prison after the detention order was quashed based on his habeas corpus petition in the High Court.
