SUM Hosp fire: Odisha HC grants bail to two trustees

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Cuttack, Nov 24:

The Orissa High Court today granted anticipatory bails to Saswati Das and Arati Ranjana Nayak, both trustees of Siksha O Anusandhan Charitable Trust that runs the Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital in which 31 people have died till date following a fire mishap on October 17.

While Saswati Das is the wife of promoter of SUM Hospital Manoj Nayak, Arati Ranjana Nayak is the sister of the latter.

The two had Orissa High Court on October 26 seeking anticipatory bail.

Both Saswati and Arati Ranjana for the third time on November 18 had sought time to appear before the police in connection with the probe into the fire tragedy at the hospital.

The duo had sought a time extension of seven days to appear before the Khandagiri police citing health reasons which ended today.

Earlier, Manoj Nayak – one of the trustees – was arrested and subsequently released from Jharpada Special Jail here on bail.

On October 27, local police had summoned the duo to appear before it in a week’s time. However, they failed to make themselves available for questioning. Following this, lookout circulars were issued against them.