YSRCP MP Vallabhaneni Balashouri triggered a row after a company owned by him asked an ICMR-recognised diagnostic lab in Hyderabad to vacate their premises earlier this week. The lab Tenet diagnostics has been granted permission from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to carry out COVID-19 tests. However, it is important to note that no testing of COVID-19 samples are taking place at the centre at present, as the Telangana government has not given permission to any private institutions to carry out the tests, even if they have clearance from ICMR.
A notice was issued to Tenet diagnostics, which is located in Kineta Towers in the city's Banjara Hills area, by Kineta Global Limited, a company owned by the MP, asking them to vacate their labs immediately.
The notice stated that they were receiving several 'complaints from local residents' as their lab was in the list of approved COVID-19 testing centres in Telangana.
"We submit that our neighbours are threatening to damage the property and to lock the road and not allow us to enter the colony. As you are aware of the present situation of the outbreak of COVID-19, everyone is scared and the members of our colony have issued serious warnings in this regard," the notice states.
"Considering the present circumstances, we do not have any option left than to request your organisation to vacate the premises at the earliest. Hence, we request you to not to carry out any testing activities with immediate effect in the said premises," it added.
The notice also asked the diagnostic centre to make alternative arrangements and vacate the premises within two months.
Following this, the Director of the diagnostic centre, Dr T Vijender Reddy, moved the High Court which directed the city police to ensure that the lab continued functioning smoothly.
Since then, the lab has remained open and operations are going on smoothly.
Meanwhile, a case has also been registered against the 'landlord of Kineta towers' by the Panjagutta police under Sections 341 (wrongful restraint) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Police said that further investigation is underway.