Mumbai: 2 bizmen held for Sunrise hosp fire by Bhandup cops

Mumbai: Bhandup police on Thursday arrested the proprietor of Pona corporation, Haresh Joshi and Privilege Healthcare CEO Goerge Putthu Sherri for a fire at Dreams Mall in Bhandup in which 11 patients undergoing treatment at Sunrise Hospital died on March 26.

Seven patients who died due to the fire were in ICU; three were in general wards and many were on oxygen support when the fire broke out. Officials said they died of asphyxiation due to smoke inhalation. Privilege Healthcare runs the hospital.

Bhandup police headed by ACP (Mulund division) Priya Dhakne on Thursday produced them before the metropolitan magistrate court, which remanded them to police custody till May 10.

Bhandup police had booked mall owners Rakesh Wadhwan, Nikhita Amit Singh Trehan, Sarang Wadhwan, Deepak Shirke, Sunrise hospital’s directors Amitsingh Trehan, Nikhita Amitsingh, Sweety Jain and other directors responsible for running Sunrise hospital.

Mumbai fire brigade found water pumps and smoke detectors were non-functional. Sources said Pona corporation, a government licensed agency, tested the fire system, after which fire brigade gave the NOC. “It transpired that Joshi, in connivance with Sherri, submitted bogus fitness certificates to fire brigade and obtained an NOC,’’ said DCP (zone VII) Prashant Kadam. S Ahmed Ali