MAMATA BANERJEE SUBMITS AFFIDAVIT IN SC AFTER 5 YEARS, CLAIMS DOCTOR CONVICTED FOR ANURADHA SAHA’S DEATH WAS REMOVED FROM POST OF “CHIEF ADVISER”

Dr. Sukumar Mukherjee, who was found guilty for gross medical negligence causing death of Anuradha Saha by Supreme Court in 2009 that also awarded highest ever compensation of Rs. 11.5 crore in 2013, was chosen as the “chief adviser” for Bengal health department by chief minister Mamata Banerjee against which a writ petition was filed by Anuradha’s husband and PBT’s founding-president, Dr. Kunal Saha, with Mamata Banerjee as the first respondent against whom serious allegations of male fide appointment of Dr. Mukherjee and deliberate attempt to undermine sanctity of Apex Court were raised. While admitting issuing notice to the respondents, Calcutta HC also directed Dr. Saha to delete the name of CM Mamata Banerjee from the array of respondents that was challenged by Dr. Saha through an SLP before the Supreme Court. Although Apex Court admitted the SLP and issued notice against Mamata Banerjee in late 2012, the case is still pending for final disposal before the Supreme Court.

After waiting for almost five years, Mamata Banerjee has submitted a response-affidavit this week in which she has claimed that although Dr. Mukherjee was appointed as the “chief adviser” by the government in 2012, he had been removed from the post in 2015. Until now, nobody in Bengal government made any whisper that Dr. Mukherjee was removed from the post of “chief adviser” even though two cases were pending before Calcutta HC and Apex Court. Banerjee now claims that this case now should be deemed as “infructuous”. The SLP is expected to come up for final hearing soon. Ironically, although Dr. Mukherjee has been removed from the post of “chief adviser”, as CM has claimed, the same doctor was appointed as a senior member of the recently formed Health Commission (under Clinical Establishment Act, 2017) with enormous power to judge all complaints of “medical negligence” against private doctors in West Bengal. Dr. Saha has already challenged appointment of Dr. Mukherjee in the Health Commission through a PIL and Calcutta High Court has also issued notice against the government and Dr. Mukherjee in that case which will listed for hearing tomorrow (Sept. 1, 2017).