The High Court of Telangana has directed the State Police to ensure that no obstruction is caused by YSRC MP Vallabhaneni Balashouri in carrrying out COVID 19 tests by a lab operating in a building owned by him.
The bench was hearing a petition filed by Tenet diagnostics which was closed down by Vallabhaneni Balashouri on April 18 on the pretext of spread of COVID-19 in the locality.
The petitioners submitted that the lab was authorized by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and that only blood samples were tested at the lab with no physical presence of the patients.
The petitioner on being questioned about the possibility of transmission of the virus submitted that the lab follows ICMR standards and all employees use standard personal protective equipment’s.
The bench directing the police to ensure that no obstruction is caused in conducting COVID 19 tests by the petitioner lab said “causing obstruction would attract penal provisions of the Epidemic Diseases Act and Disaster Management Act. The state has the power to take into control any facility to address the present epidemic.”
The matter has been listed for next hearing on July 8.
–India Legal Bureau