Odisha chit fund scam accused family cry foul over treatment

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Jan 18:

The family members of Ranjan Dash, who was arrested by the CBI for his involvement in the mega Odisha chit fund scam, have alleged medical negligence by the Jharpada jail authorities here.

Sources close to Ranjan Dash’s family said, the chit fund scam accused is suffering from oral cancer and is undergoing treatment at Acharya Harihar Cancer Research Institute (AHCRI) in Cuttack. As per doctor’s prescription, he needs medical attention. However, the jail authorities are not giving him medicines regularly and are not providing him with proper treatment in the jail, he alleged.

Following this, the family had moved National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) for its intervention. Despite the rights body seeking report from the jail authorities twice, they did not provide proper medical care to him and are now shifting him to Choudwar jail in Cuttack.

Meanwhile, the Jharpada jail authorities have moved a petition in the court of Special Chief Judicial Magistrate to relocate Ranjan Dash, owner of chit fund company Swastik India Multi-State Cooperative Society, to Choudwar jail on health grounds.

‘‘As Ranjan Dash is suffering from oral cancer which is in preliminary stage, he is being taken to Acharya Harihar Cancer Research Institute (AHCRI) in Cuttack in frequent intervals. For security reasons, he is being escorted by over half a dozen security personnel,’’ Superintendent of Jharpada jail, Rabindranath Swain said.

From Choudwar jail, a number of patients are undergoing treatment at the cancer treatment facility who are being taken to the hospital quite regularly. If Ranjan is shifted to the jail on the outskirts of Cuttack, it would be convenient for the authorities to provide him medical care. For this, we have prayed court to relocate him to Choudwar jail, he added, rejecting the claims of Ranjan’s family of medical negligence.