Mishra shifted to central hosp, ED to keep watch

Ranchi: After having spent a little over four months at the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (Rims), the chief minister’s Barhait assembly representative, Pankaj Mishra, will now be lodged at a central hospital for another round of treatment.
Mishra, an accused in the enforcement directorate’s (ED) case of illegal mining and money laundering scam, was discharged from Rims on Monday and taken to the Central Institute of Psychiatry (CIP) on doctors’ recommendations.
Meanwhile, the ED has decided to keep a close watch on his activities as Mishra was found violating jail norms during his stay at Rims and had reportedly gone to the extent of influencing ED witnesses.
He is in judicial custody after being arrested by the ED in connection with the scam. The ED has also accused Mishra of using his political connections in facilitating the wrongdoings of illegal miners and traders.
Arrested on July 19 by ED, Mishra spent a little over four months in Rims for treatment of pancreatitis after being admitted on July 27. His discharge note was issued on December 2 but he finally left on Monday and was escorted to CIP by Birsa Munda Central Jail security personnel. He is reportedly a patient of substance abuse and is known for injecting drugs and consuming sleeping pills.
Confirming his admission to the de-addiction centre of CIP, the public relation officer of the central hospital, Dr Narendra Singh, said Mishra would be treated for substance abuse during his stay. “He used to take sedatives and injectable drugs for which he has been admitted on the recommendation of the doctors at Rims,” Dr Singh said.
Meanwhile, ED sources said they had no role in getting Mishra admitted to CIP as it was recommended by the Rims doctors. However, they have decided to keep a close watch over him at the hospital to ensure that he does not continue to influence witnesses and tamper with evidence in the case they are investigating.