MUMBAI: A 98-year-old former chairman and managing director of Bank of Maharashtra has been declared medically unfit to stand trial in a 30-year-old bank fraud case, with a special CBI court postponing proceedings against him for six months after a medical board diagnosed him with Alzheimer’s-related dementia.
Special judge P B Ghuge relied on the evaluation done by a medical board at B J Government Medical College and Sassoon Hospital, Pune, which diagnosed the accused, Dr Moreshwar Vaman Patwardhan, with “dementia due to Alzheimer disease” and visual impairment due to optic atrophy.
The medical board concluded that he was incapable of facing trial because of the “nature and severity of his illness”.
The court observed that Patwardhan, who had sought postponement of the proceedings on grounds of permanent physical and mental incapacity, was not in a position to defend himself because of his advanced age and deteriorating mental health.
“It appears that on account of the old age of more than 98 years, coupled with the mental ailment, he does not appear to be sound to face the trial by defending his rights,” the judge said.
