Dhulipalla Narendra tests positive for covid, shifted to Vijayawada Ayush hospital

TDP senior leader and former MLA Dhulipalla Narendra Kumar has been tested positive for coronavirus. Narendra along with Gurunatham, a former co-operation officer, was taken for a CT scan on Wednesday night as per the High Court order and both were found to be positive. The two are being shifted to Vijayawada Ayush Hospital as per the wishes of their family members. Earlier, both received negative RTPCR medical tests on Wednesday morning. Authorities rushed Narendra Kumar to the ACB office in Rajahmundry for questioning. Interrogated for six hours and later handed over to jail authorities in the evening.

Meanwhile, the High Court directed the ACB investigating officer and the superintendent of Rajahmundry Central Jail to Narendra Kumar and Gurunathan a former co-operative officer, to a private hospital for covid tests. It said they should be treated at a private hospital if tests show they are infected with covid. The court warned of dire consequences if the orders were not enforced. The ACB said that the quash petition in the High Court was not an impediment to hearing the petitioners' bail petition in court. The trial was adjourned until Friday.

It is learnt that on April 22, Narendra and MD Gopala krishna filed a case seeking quashing of the case registered against them by the ACB officials. The High Court recently directed the ACB to file a counter-filing with full details of how the petitioners personally benefited. The matter came up for hearing on Wednesday. The investigation is still ongoing. ACB counsel argued that more time was needed for the counter-filing. The trial is set to adjourn after the summer holidays. Gopalakrishna, who is in jail, has already been diagnosed with corona, said the lawyer for the petitioners. Narendra and Gurunatham, who are the primary contacts in the jail, are likely to be affected. The ACB court on Thursday adjourned the decision on their request to allow covid‌ tests at a private hospital.