Amaravati: High Court allows custodial grilling of Dr Ramesh

Amaravati: The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Friday issued orders to proceed with the custodial investigation against Dr P Ramesh Babu, the managing director of Ramesh Cardiac and Multispeciality Hospitals, in relation to the Swarna Palace Covid Centre fire accident in Vijayawada.

After the orders were issued, AP police took Dr Ramesh into custody and will question him from November 30 to December 2. Justice C Manavendra Nath Roy, however, also instructed that his interrogation be done in the presence of his lawyer.

It may be recalled that 10 patients died and 21 others suffered injuries when fire broke out in Hotel Swarna Palace which was turned into Covid care centre located on Eluru Road in Vijayawada, on August 9 this year.

The Supreme Court in September allowed the AP government to proceed with the investigation against Dr P Ramesh Babu and non-executive chairman Sitarama Mohan Rao in the case pertaining to the Swarna Palace hotel fire mishap.

The court had issued its orders on the Special Leave Petition (SLP) field by the state government to vacate the interim orders of the AP High Court, which in August last stayed the proceedings against them. The duo had earlier approached the High Court seeking a stay on their arrest and quashing the case registered by the Vijayawada city police against the hospital management.