A leading cardiologist was summoned by the National Investigation Agency on Friday after it probably misconstrued as a hawala code a blood report of separatist leader Yasin Malik.
Upendra Kaul, the Delhi-based cardiologist and Kashmiri Pandit who had taken a nuanced position on Article 370 and sought revocation of the curbs in Kashmir, and Malik had exchanged a text message that said “INR 2.78”.
“INR” is widely known as the country code for the Indian rupee, which possibly prompted NIA sleuths to suspect that a hawala transaction, a usual charge against some Kashmir leaders, was being discussed.
But in medical science, “INR” stands for “international normalised ratio”, a globally standardised parameter that indicates the time it takes for blood to clot. “With the help of INR, doctors fix the dose of anti-coagulant medicines for a patient. This is particularly important for someone who is on blood-thinning drugs,” said a Calcutta-based cardiologist.
The summons was issued on Thursday, asking Kaul to appear before the NIA on Friday at 10.30am, probably after officials keeping tabs on Malik got wind of the text message. An NIA spokesperson refused to comment why Kaul was summoned.
On Friday evening, Kaul recounted his experience at the NIA headquarters on Lodhi Road in the capital.
“During examination, it appeared to me that the agency in its wisdom had interpreted it as Indian rupees of hawala cash. I clarified to them that in medical terms, INR stands for international normalised ratio, a blood report value, and not Indian rupee rates as assumed by them,” Kaul told The Telegraph.
The renowned cardiologist added: “The investigators probably mixed it up and I cleared their misunderstanding. I told them that being a doctor, anyone can be my patient and I am not related to Malik. As a doctor, I treat patients and do not subscribe to their ideology. I have treated so many people from across the country, including from Kashmir, and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah is among my patients.”
“I told the investigators that Malik was personally brought to me for treatment by a senior IB official in 1995-1996,” Kaul said.
After the clarification, he was allowed to leave the NIA headquarters.
Kaul is currently the chairman of the Batra Heart Centre. He has established cardiology units at several hospitals in the government and private sectors, including at the AIIMS.