Bhubaneswar: Hours after the arrest of its founding President Manoj Ranjan Nayak, the Siksha 'O' Anusandhan Charitable Trust, that runs Sum Hospital where 21 people died in a fire mishap, today assured the police of full cooperation in the investigation.
"Taking full responsibility for the fire tragedy at the SUM Hospital, Prof Manoj Ranjan Nayak, founder president of Siksha O Anusandhan, has surrendered before Khandagiri police station at 3.30 am on October 20, 2016 as soon as he came to know that a Look Out Circular had been issued in his name," a press statement issued by the SOA University said.
The statement said, "Prof Nayak has assured the local police that he would extend full cooperation in the process of investigation."
"The SUM hospital authorities will wholeheartedly cooperate in all respects. In deep grief for the loss of lives in accident, the hospital will continue to serve the people with full dedication as before," the statement said.
Meanwhile, commissioner of police Y B Khurania said the police had to issue 'Look Out Circular' against Nayak and his wife Saswati Das, both trustee members of the charitable trust, as they were not available for investigation till yesterday.
"Since both of them have valid passports, we suspected that they may flee from the country and therefore issued the LOC," Khurania said.
Khurania said the police would produce Nayak at the appropriate court before 24 hours of his arrest.
"We hope that two other trustee members including Nayak's wife Saswati Das will also come forward to cooperate with the police," Khurania said.
Director General of Police K B Singh said that the police may request the court to allow it to take Nayak on remand, if required.
