US AIDS researcher appeals for independent inquiry

Kolkata, Oct 10 (UNI) India-born American AIDS researcher Kunal Saha, who is fighting a case of medical negligence in Indian courts, has appealed to the President and the Chief Justice of India seeking an 'independent inquiry' for a possible link between the country's highest consumer court and some doctors.

Dr Saha's wife Anuradha died in May 1998 in Breach Candy Hospital, Mumbai, after alleged wrong treatment and negligence by eminent doctors in a Kolkata hospital.

He has now alleged that the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) was in collusion with five top Kolkata doctors accused of causing death of his wife Anuradha.

Saha, who is based in Ohio in USA, made the appeal to the Chief Justice of India (CJI) and the President after his highest ever compensation case in Indian medical history was dismissed by the NCDRC.

''After almost eight years of a fiercely fought and seemingly impossible battle against the five doctors (Drs Sukumar Mukherjee, Abani Roychowdhury, Baidyanath Halder, Balaram Prasad and Kausik Nandy) and AMRI-Apollo Hospital in Kolkata, the NCDRC had finally dismissed the case on June 1, 2006 and the compensation claim of a staggering amount of Rs 77.7 crore (about Rs 770 million) by me,'' Saha, who is on a trip to the city, told UNI here today.

A civil appeal against the decision by the NCDRC was filed last week in the Supreme Court by Saha.

Now the claim is even higher at a whopping Rs 143 crore (Rs 1.43 billion) which include an interest of 12 per cent annually since 1998 when this case was first filed by him.

''I have made a passionate and personal appeal to the CJI and President seeking for an inquiry by an independent body as I apprehend of a collusion between the accused doctors and the highest consumer court in New Delhi,'' Saha said.

''Through the media I am publicly making my appeal to the CJI and the President,'' Saha said.

Saha, who has set up ''People for Better Treatment'' (PBT) to protect patients' interests, has also vouched that if and when he wins the compensation, he would spend the entire amount in India for promotion of health.

A separate criminal case against the three senior doctors is also pending before the apex court.

UNI BA PL SP SSC1345