A petition was filed in the Andhra Pradesh High Court on Thursday to shift former labour minister and TDP deputy floor leader in the State Assembly Kinjarapu Atchannaidu from Vijayawada sub-jail to the Guntur General Hospital.
The petitioner, P Venkatesh, argued that the YSRCP government in an act of political vendetta has exerted pressure on the Guntur General Hospital management in discharging Atchannaidu from the hospital and shifted him to Vijayawada sub-jail.
The petitioner also contended Atchannaidu was discharged from the hospital even though he did not completely recover from the second surgery he had undergone in the Guntur General Hospital. Considering Atchannaidu’s medical condition, the petitioner appealed to the court to direct the government to admit him in a hospital for further treatment. The High Court is likely to hear the case tomorrow.
On Wednesday, Atchnnaidu was discharged from the Guntur General Hospital and shifted to Vijayawada sub-jail even as the ACB court is likely to take up Atchnnaidu’s bail petition today.
Atchnnaidu had also written to the superintendent of Guntur General Hospital that he be discharged from the hospital only after his complete recovery. Further, Atchnnaidu in his letter to the superintendent noted that certain medical reports were still pending. Atchnnaidu had to undergo colonoscopy and Covid-19 tests.
Despite his plea, Atchnnaidu was shifted to Vijayawada sub-jail. Atchnnaidu was shifted to the Vijayawada sub-jail after the ACB sleuths had completed its interrogation in the Guntur General Hospital. The interrogation had lasted for about 10 hours and 30 minutes spread over the three days, three hours on the first day, five hours the second day and two hours and 30 minutes the third day. Earlier, the ACB court on June 27 had extended the remand of Atchannaidu till July 10.
Atchannaidu was arrested on June 12 in an early morning swoop from his residence in Tekkali in Srikakulam district. Around 300 police personnel circled Atchannaidu’s residence, some of them even scaled the compound wall, barged in and arrested.
The TDP leader at the time of arrest underwent piles surgery. Despite the surgery, the TDP leader was made to travel more than 500 kms from his home town to Guntur and forced to sit in a car for over 15 hours. Atchannaidu was arrested in the ESI scam that relates to the purchase of drugs, medicines, medical kits and furniture. The Vigilance and Enforcement directorate found irregularities in the procurement of drugs, medicines and medical kits.
