Patient moved out to make room for OSD

Patient moved out to make room for OSD 
Bhamra is in judicial custody in a disproportionate assets case Aman Sood/TNS

Patiala, July 26

A few hours after a Mohali court sent OSD to the Punjab Chief Minister Hardeep Singh Bhamra to judicial remand in a disproportionate assets case, he was lodged in an airconditioned room of a government hospital here instead of the Patial Central Jail.

Even worse, a patient was hurriedly moved out of the room late in the evening to make space for him.

Officials said the OSD to the CM was taken ill while in jail and the jail doctors referred him to the government hospital for treatment. As per the norms, Bhamra should have been admitted to a general ward, as his condition was not serious, and by no means should he have been given a VIP room. A senior hospital official said a critically ill patient had to be shifted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) to make way for the OSD. “The police team brought the OSD to the hospital. He was shifted to a special room following phone calls from top political offices. We had no option but to oblige,” the official said.

When The Tribune team visited the hospital, Bhamra was relaxing in the AC ward sharing some light moments with visitors as a policeman stood guard outside the ward. The The Tribune team was not allowed in and was told by the visitors not to click any picture inside the ward. They tried to snatch the camera.

The Principal of Government Medical College and Rajindra Hospital, Dr KD Singh, said he had orders to allot the special room to Bhamra but refused to say if rules permitted it. “I will issue orders that he be shifted to the general ward,” he added.

Karanjit Sandhu, Additional Jail Superintendent, Central Jail Patiala, said the OSD was brought to jail last evening. Asked as to why Bhamra was getting a VIP treatment inside the jail, he fumbled for words. “Please ask the hospital staff,” was all he said before disconnecting the phone. He refused to take any calls thereafter.

The Punjab IG (Prisons), Jagjit Singh, said he would look into the matter as he was “unaware of any such development”. Later, he said Bhamra was brought to the Patiala jail at 9.20 pm and after being examined by jail doctors was referred to the government hospital. “We are not aware of any preferential treatment being given to him,” he added.

The jail department has been in the news for the wrong reasons. It has drawn flak for giving VIP treatment to former Cabinet Minister Bibi Jagir Kaur. The IG (prisons) was photographed accepting a siropa from Bibi at a religious function inside the Kapurthala Jail some weeks ago.