Ramesh Hospitals MD seeks anticipatory bail in COVID facility fire tragedy case

Advocates appearing on behalf of Ramesh Babu filed an online anticipatory bail plea on Saturday and the court took it up for hearing.
The petition is yet to come up for hearing. (Representational Image)
The petition is yet to come up for hearing. (Representational Image)

IJAYAWADA: A week after absconding from Vijayawada fearing arrest in connection with the fire tragedy at Hotel Swarna Palace on August 9, Ramesh Hospitals founder and managing director (MD) Pothineni Ramesh Babu has filed an anticipatory bail plea with the Eighth Additional District Magistrate Court on Monday. 

​The court has posted further proceedings to August 21. 

Advocates on behalf of Ramesh Hospitals and Dubai-based Aster MD Healthcare, approached the Andhra Pradesh High Court and filed a quash petition seeking the court’s intervention to alter the sections invoked in the case filed against the managements of Ramesh Hospitals and Swarna Palace. 

The petition is yet to come up for hearing.

It may be mentioned here that Ramesh Babu could not be traced in Vijayawada, and he posted a video online expressing his condolences to the bereaved families.

Advocates appearing on behalf of Ramesh Babu filed an online anticipatory bail plea on Saturday and the court took it up for hearing here on Monday. 

While hearing the petition, the magistrate reportedly asked the assistant public prosecutor to submit a counter with details of the case, and adjourned it to August 21. 

On August 10, the Vijayawada police arrested Ramesh Hospitals chief operating officer Dr Kodali Rajagopala Rao, general manager Dr Kurapathi Sudarshan and Ramesh Hospital COVID-19 Care Centre coordinating manager Pallabothu Venkatesh. 

At present, the trio are under judicial remand in the Machilipatnam Special Court.The advocates, appearing on behalf of the trio, filed a bail plea in the Third Additional Metropolitan Magistrate Court, which adjourned hearing on the bail plea to August 21. 

The Vijayawada police, who have filed a petition seeking custody of the three arrested persons was, however, dismissed. 

On the other hand, the Vijayawada police have served notices on the management of Dubai-based Aster MD Healthcare, which holds 50 per cent share in Ramesh Hospitals, under Section 160 of the CrPC to appear before the investigation team and provide details related to the agreement with the hotel and related information. 

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