Assbly committee to inquire into ex-MLAs detention at hospital

A committee of the Odisha Assembly will probe into the alleged detention of former MLA Chandrasen Naik at a private hospital in the state capital for non-payment of hospital dues.
A ruling in this regard was issued by Assembly Speaker Niranjan Pujari after Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra of Congress raised the issue of the former MLA's alleged detention at the private hospital for non-payment of dues of about Rs 2 lakh treatment fee.
The State Assembly's Health committee will probe into the allegations, Speaker Pujari said.
Meanwhile, sources said the hospital authorities discharged Naik after a Cabinet minister intervened into the matter. The hospital allowed Naik to go home after his son gave an undertaking that he would pay the dues within one month.

The hospital has also warned that it may take legal action if the fee was not paid as per the undertaking.
Naik, who was elected to the assembly twice in 1980 and 1995 from Telkoi segment, was under treatment at the hospital from March 2 after he complained of chest pain.
Though he was supposed to be discharged from the hospital on March 11, his family members failed to arrange another Rs 2 lakh of the total medical bill of Rs 4 lakh.
The former MLA's son Chitrasen had claimed that out of the total bill of about Rs 4 lakh, insurance had taken care of Rs 1 lakh, another Rs 1 lakh was arranged by the family and paid to the hospital but could not arrange the remaining amount despite trying to dispose their landed property.