BRD hospital tragedy: HC rejects bail plea of ex-principal’s wife

The Allahabad high court on Monday rejected the bail application of Dr Purnima Shukla, wife of former principal of Gorakhpur’s BRD medical college Dr Rajiv Kumar Mishra, in connection with the deaths of children allegedly due to disruption in oxygen supply in August last year.

Dr Purnima Shukla has been accused of interfering in the functioning of the college.

Declining bail to Dr Purnima, justice Yashwant Varma said the court could not order the petitioner’s release at this stage keeping in view the facts and circumstances of the case.

Earlier on April 30, the court had turned down the bail plea of her husband Dr Rajiv Kumar Mishra in the same case.

Dr Purnima contended that she was languishing in jail for the last seven months while other co-accused had been released on bail.

However, opposing the bail application, the state counsel pleaded that the case was serious in nature and alleged that Dr Purnima played a role in disruption of oxygen supply.

He alleged that the petitioner played an important role in the functioning of the college and at her alleged instance the college authorities had stopped payment to the company which used to supply oxygen.

“The company stopped oxygen supply which resulted into the death of several children in the hospital. Hence, she should not be released on bail,” he said.

An FIR was lodged against nine people, including Dr Rajeev Mishra and her wife Dr Purnima Shukla, on August 23 last year in connection with the death of over 30 children in the hospital.

Of the nine accused, director of oxygen supplying company Pushpa Sales Manish Bhandari and a doctor at BRD medical college Dr Kafeel Khan have been released on bail.