HC summons health official

PATNA: The Patna High Court on Friday directed the principal secretary, health, to appear before it and explain why the government reply to a PIL regarding recruitment, transfer and posting of doctors in the state's jails has not been filed.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice P K Misra and Justice Anjana Prakash issued the directive on the PIL initiated by the HC on a letter petition of a life convict Vijay Kumar.The petition has alleged that Vijay's uncle, Mahesh Prasad (who was also a life convict), died in the Bhagalpur jail due to negligence of Dr Ashok Kumar Gautam.
Appearing as an amicus curiae in the case to assist the court, additional advocate general J P Karn submitted that the IG (prisons) had filed a counter affidavit, stating that doctors are to be appointed in jails on contract basis.
Tagged with this PIL was another PIL initiated suo motu by the high court on the basis of a report of the Bhagalpur district and sessions judge about lack of medical facility in the Bhagalpur remand home.