Kolkata, Aug 19 The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday directed the West Bengal Health Department to complete within a week its investigation into alleged illegalities in the transportation of blood and plasma to other states and file a report before it.
Justice Krishna Rao also directed petitioner Life Care Medical Foundation, which was barred by the Health Department from conducting outdoor blood collection camps, to cooperate with the probe and provide all relevant documents sought by the authorities.
The court directed the Health Department to complete the investigation within one week and file a report by way of an affidavit on the next date of hearing on August 28.
The state Health Department had launched raids on several private blood banks across the state following allegations of large-scale illegal transportation of blood and plasma to other states in violation of prescribed norms.
It had also barred some blood banks from organising outdoor blood donation camps until further orders.
Life Care Medical Foundation moved the petition challenging the Health Department’s direction to stop its outdoor blood collection camps from August 1, while allowing it to continue in-house blood collection with competent staff.
The petitioner’s lawyer submitted before the court that documents sought by the authorities on June 30, along with certain clarifications sought subsequently, had been furnished.
The authorities, however, told the court that the petitioner was not cooperating with the investigation and had failed to submit relevant documents sought in connection with its blood collection activities, preventing completion of the probe.
The Health Department’s lawyer submitted before Justice Rao that the petitioner had not provided the relevant records and documents sought for verification.
The court noted that counsel appearing for the petitioner had assured it that the foundation would appear before the authorities and cooperate with the ongoing investigation.
