Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Jan 20:

The Special Chief Judicial Magistrate (CBI) court here today rejected the petition filed by Jharpara jail authorities to relocate Ranjan Dash, owner of chit fund company Swastik India Multi-State Cooperative Society who has been arrested by the CBI in connection with the multi-thousand crore chit fund scam in Odisha, to Choudwar jail on health grounds. The court directed Jharpara jail authorities to provide treatment to Dash at Cuttack while keeping him at Jharpara jail.

Ranjan Dash

Jharpara jail authorities had prayed in their petition that since Ranjan Dash is suffering from oral cancer which is in a preliminary stage, he is being taken to Acharya Harihar Cancer Research Institute (AHCRI) in Cuttack at frequent intervals.

For security reasons, Ranjan is being escorted by over half a dozen security personnel. If Ranjan is shifted to Choudwar jail on the outskirts of Cuttack, it would be convenient for the authorities to provide him medical care, the jail authorities had stated in their prayer.

To back their case, they had pointed to the fact that a number of patients from the Choudwar jail are being taken to the hospital quite regularly for treatment at the cancer treatment facility.

Sources close to Ranjan’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, they alleged.