Chhagan Bhujbal shifted to Bombay Hospital

Former deputy chief minister and senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal was shifted on Wednesday evening from the state-run JJ Hospital to the privately-run Bombay Hospital to undergo a medical test — thallium scan — there on Thursday.

Bhujbal was scheduled to undergo the test at Bombay Hospital on Wednesday morning, but it had to be postponed as he was afflicted with dysentery. A senior doctor from JJ Hospital confirmed that the thallium scan test will be conducted on Thursday at Bombay Hospital.

Talking to The Asian Age, the superintendent of Arthur Road jail Harshad Aherao said, “Bhujbal has been rushed to Bombay Hospital from JJ Hospital. Apart from the thallium scan, whatever additional tests doctors suggest would be completed there.”

A special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court had last week permitted the Arthur Road jail authorities to conduct the thallium scan on Bhujbal at a private hospital, at his own cost, on the ground that the medical test could not be conducted at any government-run hospital in the city. The prison had clarified that the civic-run KEM Hospital, where a thallium scan can be done, is undergoing renovations and the medical examination could not be conducted there any time soon.

Dr T.P. Lahane, who is the dean of the state-run JJ Hospital, where Bhujbal was admitted on Friday night for the tests, had recommended private hospitals for three tests to be conducted to find out the reason behind his cardiac ailments. After discussions with the authorities of the Arthur Road jail, the decision to conduct the thallium scan at Bombay Hospital was taken on Tuesday.

Bhujbal is in judicial custody. He was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in March on PMLA charges.

“Along with the thallium scan test, there are a few other tests, including the sleep apnea test, that would be done here,” said a source from Bombay Hospital.