Kerala High Court Orally Flags Influential Accused Securing Bail On Health Grounds, Calls It 'Medical Tourism'

While hearing the bail plea of KN Anand Kumar, founder of National NGO's Confederation and accused in CSR Funds Scam, the Kerala High Court flagged the rise in cases of influential accused securing bail on medical grounds.

Kumar is in judicial custody at hospital due to cardiac problems and has sought bail on medical grounds. Last week, Justice P. V. Kunhikrishnan had asked the State to get instructions in the matter.

As the matter came up for hearing today, the Judge orally remarked,

“I will not entertain that medical ground, unless the prosecutor says that medical facility is not available in jail…Influential people's bail applications in Kerala are becoming medical tourism...you tell me if he needs any other medical (treatment) that is not available in the jail.”

The judge frowned upon such practices, particularly citing the recent example of BJP leader PC George who secured bail on medical grounds in a hate speech case. "...After release, his son said that I am so happy to the complainants because my father usually does not go to hospital. This is medical tourism. His son gave open statement to the media that 'I am so happy'. That is indirectly to the judiciary. This is medical tourism in Kerala," the Judge said.

Kumar is accused of committing large scale scam by persuading various voluntary organizations and local representatives to secure funds by claiming that they were procuring two-wheelers, laptops, sewing machines at half price. The allegation is that booking amounts were collected by convincing everyone that the scheme was carried out by securing the remaining amount through CSR contributions from various companies.

Ananthu Krishnan, the Secretary of National NGO's Confederation and the sole proprietor of Professional Services Innovation is arrayed as first accused in the case.