NRI
Dr. Jayant Patel expected to arrive in Australia tomorrow.
PORTLAND, Ore., July 20, 2008
Rajinder Kaur
NRI Dr Jayant Patel is expected to arrive in Australia tomorrow.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has approved the extradition
of NRI doctor Jayant Patel, 58. He was handed over to two Queensland
detectives in Los Angeles, by US marshals
Dr Patel will arrive in Brisbane about 6am tomorrow to face 13
charges, including manslaughter, stemming from his time as director
of surgery at the Bundaberg Base Hospital from 2003 to 2005
Darryl Johnson and Graham Walker of Queensland detectives were
already on board Qantas flight 176 awaiting Patel's transfer from
the Marshals. Patel was escorted up the plane's stairs from a
van parked on the tarmac.
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Patel expected in Australia
tomorrow
July 20, 2008
Dr Jayant Patel, guarded by two senior detectives and possibly
handcuffed, is scheduled to land in Australia tomorrow morning
on a Qantas jumbo jet packed with passengers.
It will be a major step in the long-running investigation by
Queensland authorities and a moment of relief for the surgeon's
alleged victims.
Patel, accused of manslaughter, grievous bodily harm and fraud
offences during a stint at Bundaberg's Base Hospital between 2003
and 2005, has spent the past three months locked up in jails in
his home town of Portland, Oregon, and the past week in Los Angeles'
Metropolitan Detention Centre, as Queensland, Australian and US
authorities raced against the clock to complete the paperwork
to ensure the 58-year-old faced justice in Queensland.
US District Court Judge Dennis Hubel set a deadline of Tuesday
5am AEST for Patel to be handed over to Australian authorities.
Queensland Acting Superintendent Detective Darryl Johnson and
Detective Sergeant Graham Walker, who arrived at Los Angeles international
airport's Tom Bradley Terminal tonight without Patel, said they
were pleased to be taking the surgeon back to Brisbane.
Patel was taken by prison van from the LA jail to the airport
by US Marshals.
The Marshals will take Patel on board the plane, seat him and
wait for the Queensland detectives to take their seats.
"Certainly for the investigators, led by Det Sgt Walker,
it's very pleasing and it will be the culmination of a long investigation,"
Det Johnson told reporters.
"He has to face court and natural justice will be seen to
be done.
"It certainly has been a very large job, a significant job
and a lot of resources have been devoted to it."
Patel will be seated at the rear of the economy cabin of Qantas'
fully-booked LA to Brisbane flight.
He will be guarded by Det Johnson and Det Walker, who will sit
beside him and prevent Patel from talking to other passengers.
The detectives will follow Patel to the bathroom during the 14
hour flight.
"He'll be escorted on the plane for the duration of the trip,"
Det Johnson said.
It was reported Patel would not be handcuffed during the journey,
but Det Johnson did not rule it out.
"That's something I will discuss with the cabin crew,"
Det Johnson said.
"It's a decision that will be made at the time."
The detectives, however, were not expecting any trouble from
the short, pudgy Patel who has appeared subdued and polite during
his court appearances since his arrest in Portland on March 11.
Patel gave up his legal battle late last month to prevent extradition
to Queensland.
"I'm not expecting any trouble on board myself," Det
Johnson said.
"We have two escorts for the prisoner and I'm not expecting
any issue on board."
Patel, an Indian-born, US citizen, is accused of performing botched
operations on patients in Bundaberg and committing fraud by allegedly
hiding his chequered work history as a surgeon in Oregon and New
York when he applied for the Queensland job.
If convicted of the three manslaughter charges in Queensland,
he could be sentenced to life in prison.
His wife, Kishoree, a doctor in Portland, is not expected to
make the trip to Brisbane.
Brisbane airport will be inundated with media when Patel arrives
about 6am Monday AEST, although it is likely he will be whisked
away out of the public and media eye by Queensland authorities.
"We'll be met at Brisbane airport and he will be transported
to the Brisbane Watchhouse," Det Johnson said.
The media, however, will be watching Patel during the flight.
Reporters and cameramen from Australia's TV networks bought tickets
for Qantas Flight 176 and will attempt to film Patel during the
journey.
The cameras already drew plenty of attention in the cavernous
Tom Bradley Terminal as the two detectives made their way through
crowded terminal to receive their boarding passes.
The Dark Knight star, Christian Bale, who plays Batman in the
new blockbuster film, walked through the terminal surrounded by
paparazzi about 30 minutes before Dets Johnson and Walker arrived.
The Australian news cameras focused on the two police had passengers
in the terminal scratching their heads.
"Who's that," an American teenager, standing with eight
of her high school friends yelled, pointing at the bald Det Walker.
"It's Brad Pitt," one of the Australian media replied.
AAP
