Sai Baba blesses city hospital

 

From: Indian Skeptic January 1994, vol. 6, nr 9, p. 1-3

By our staff reporter

DECCAN HERALD, 7.6.1991

BANGALORE, June 6. – Mallya Apollo Hospital, a high-tech medical facility, co-sponsored by the UB Group, will be inaugurated this month end in the city.  The hospital, a Rs. 55 crore project with latest medical equipment is one of the four hospitals of Apollo Group, Madras.

Spiritual leader Sathya Sai Baba today visited and blessed the Mallya Apollo Hospital. Chief Minister S. Bangarappa inaugurated the blessing ceremony by lighting a lamp.  In his address, the Baba regretted that the four temples – hospital, school, kitchen and temple – had been degenerating into commercial centres. He urged the hospital authorities to make its services available not only to the rich but also provide free medical care to the down trodden.

Mr. Pratap Reddy, Chairman, Apollo Institution, said that the hospital would initially have 150 beds and there was a plan to increase it to 500 beds.

On the cover of Indian Skeptic is the photograph of Sathya Sai Baba blessing the Mallya Apollo Hospital (picture & article taken from DECCAN HERALD, 7.6.1991). Vijay Mallya, the Liquor King is the owner of United Breweries. Unless he was in the inner circle of Sai Baba Gang, Sai Baba would not have attended the inauguration of the Hospital. Though the Hospital was started in collaboration with Dr. Pratap Reddy, the Founder of Apollo Group of Hospitals, through the influence of Sai Baba, Vijay Mallya could get control of the Hospital.

To know the connections between the Liquor King and Sai Baba we have to go to 1985 and scan the newspapers. We are just giving the titles of the newspapers wherein Vijay Mallya and others were raided and how Sai Baba influence helped him to come out of the charges unscathed.

Newspaper	Date	Title of news
TIMES OF INDIA	14.7.85	Tax sleuths raid office of op tycoons
INDIAN EXPRESS	9.1.86	Mallay charged with Fera violations
DECCAN HERALD	9.7.86	Case against Mally, 6 others
Do.	10.7.86	Mallya case: Records reveal ‘secret’ deals
Do.	23.7.86	Mallya appears before the court
TIMES OF INDIA	20.9.86	Anticipatory bail for Chabria
DECCAN HERALD	12.11.86	Industrialist’s plea rejected
Do.	19.12.86	It seizures from brewery firm
DECCAN HERALD	20.1.87	Fera case Mallya to apologise
THE HINDU	20.1.87	Mallya apologises for any Fera violations
DECCAN HERALD	24.1.87	Mallya for adjudication in Fera case
Do.	30.4.87	Move to withdraw prosecution against Mally
Do.	3.11.93	Vijay Mallya signs tie-up for producing IMFL