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'Medical Tourism': Kerala HC expresses ire over influential accused securing bail on medical grounds

IANS March 19, 2025 141 views

The Kerala High Court has sharply criticized the trend of influential accused seeking bail through "medical tourism" in a significant CSR funds scam. The case involves a massive fraud targeting nearly 50,000 victims and amounts to Rs 231 crore, with two primary suspects already arrested. The court's strong remarks highlight growing judicial concern about potential misuse of medical bail provisions by powerful defendants. The judge specifically referenced a previous case involving BJP leader PC George to underscore the apparent manipulation of medical grounds for securing bail.

"Influential people's bail applications in Kerala are becoming medical tourism" - Kerala High Court Judge
Kochi, March 19: The Kerala High Court on Wednesday orally expressed its ire at the rise in cases of influential accused securing bail on medical grounds and calling it "medical tourism".

Key Points

1

Kerala CSR scam involves Rs 231 crore and 48,384 victims

2

Two key accused arrested for fraudulent CSR scheme

3

High Court questions bail on medical grounds

4

Judicial scrutiny of influential defendants' bail tactics

The court's oral observation came while it considered the bail pleas of the two main accused in the now infamous Kerala CSR funds scam, which, according to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, has an extent of Rs 231 crore, and has 48,384 people falling victim. As many as 1,343 cases have been registered till now.

So far, two arrests have been made, which include 28-year-old Ananthu Krishnan, the alleged mastermind behind the massive scam and K.N. Anand Kumar, Chairman of the NGO Confederation and a well-known social activist in Kerala.

When the bail pleas came up, the counsel for Anand Kumar informed the court that he was in a hospital due to cardiac issues and sought bail on medical grounds. It was then the judge orally remarked: "I will not entertain that medical ground, unless the prosecutor says that medical facility is not available in jail...Influential people's bail applications in Kerala are becoming medical tourism...you tell me if he needs any other medical (treatment) that is not available in the jail."

The court then pointed out the case of BJP leader PC George who secured bail on medical grounds in a hate speech case. "...After release, his son said I am so happy to the complainants because my father usually does not go to hospital. This is medical tourism. His son gave an open statement to the media that 'I am so happy'. That is indirectly for the judiciary. This is medical tourism in Kerala," the judge said.

The scam, executed by a team led by the now two arrested involved deceiving victims by offering high-value consumer products -- such as scooters, laptops, and sewing machines -- at half the market price under the guise of a CSR initiative.

The court has now asked Anand Kumar's counsel to either show that the treatment he requires is not available in jail or argue the case on grounds other than medical reasons and posted the case for further hearing on Thursday, when the orders for the bail pleas are expected.

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