The state Vigilance Bureau (VB) on Monday examined two sacked medical laboratory technicians (MLTs), suspects in the HIV+ blood transfusion case at a government hospital in Bathinda.
HT had on Saturday reported that the VB had failed to question suspects even after seven months.
The Bathinda range unit of the bureau questioned the suspects for the first time after the matter was handed over to it eight months ago.
VB’s deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Kuldeep Singh said Gurpreet Singh Godara and Gurpreet Singh Ghumman were directed to appear at the bureau office for questioning.
“Details cannot be divulged at this juncture. We will also question accused Jagdeep Singh and Ajay Sharma. More people from the Bathinda district hospital and others may be asked to join the investigation,” he said.
In December last year, the state health department had tasked the VB’s Bathinda unit to investigate possibilities of a nexus of the sacked hospital staff and others behind the repeated cases of wrong blood transfusion at the government-run blood bank at Bhai Shaheed Bhai Mani Civil Hospital.
The step was taken after five persons, including four thalassaemia patients aged between 7 and 13, being treated at the district hospital were found HIV positive after blood transfusion.
{{/usCountry}}The step was taken after five persons, including four thalassaemia patients aged between 7 and 13, being treated at the district hospital were found HIV positive after blood transfusion.
{{/usCountry}}The role of at least six staffers then posted at the blood bank came under the scanner in breach of strict guidelines of blood transfusion.
As the Bathinda district police are conducting a regular criminal investigation in which the main accused, Baldev Singh Romana, a medical laboratory technician was already arrested, the VB was asked to probe patterns where several were infused infected blood at the same place.