'Karnan's medical will be at Calcutta Pavlov Hospital'

Kolkata: Calcutta High Court Justice C.S. Karnan, whom the Supreme Court ordered to undergo a medical examination, is scheduled to visit a state-run hospital here on Thursday, a source said on Wednesday.

Karnan would visit the Calcutta Pavlov Hospital and would be checked whether he was mentally fit to defend himself, the hospital source said.

"We have received the Supreme Court order for Justice Karnan's medical check-up. He is supposed to come to our hospital tomorrow (Thursday)," he added.

The medical board for Karnan's check-up would be set up by the state secretariat Nabanna and the details would be sent to them by Wednesday evening, the hospital authority said.

The apex court passed the order to the Director of Health Services, from where it was on passed to the state secretariat. "We are not taking any decision internally for the check-up," the source said.

"The responsibility of escorting the judge has been given to the Kolkata Police Commissioner's office," he added.

A seven-judge Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar on Monday directed the constitution of a medical board to examine Karnan on May 4 and submit the evaluation report on May 8.

Karnan has been engaged in a over three-month long standoff with the apex court. He has termed the medical examination order as "ridiculous".

Karnan is facing contempt charges for degrading the judiciary and making allegations of corruption against several Supreme Court judges.