Gorakhpur deaths: HC rejects oxygen supplier''s bail plea

Allahabad, February 14

The Allahabad High Court has rejected the bail plea of the proprietor of a firm, which supplied oxygen to the government-run Baba Raghav Das Medical College in Gorakhpur where dozens of children died last year.

More than 60 children, mostly infants, had died at the hospital within a week in August, 2017. There were allegations that the deaths occurred due to disruption in oxygen supply over unpaid bills to the vendor.

Justice Yashwant Varma yesterday rejected the bail petition of the proprietor of Pushpa Sales, Manish Bhandari, saying, "The court is inclined to accept the submission that custodial interrogation of the accused may still be warranted and it would not be appropriate to grant him bail at this stage."

The counsel for the UP government opposed the petition, saying the investigation in the case was pending and Bhandari may be required for it. PTI