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High Court notice to Sukhadia’s son-in-law

Special Correspondent

JAIPUR: The Rajasthan High Court has issued a notice to Prem Kumar Gupta, son-in-law of former State Chief Minister Mohanlal Sukhadia, on a habeas corpus petition filed for the custody of his wife, Devyani Gupta. The court has asked Mr. Gupta, a retired Brigadier, to produce the details of the treatment being provided to Ms. Devyani, who is suffering from a debilitating disease called C.B.G.D. (Cortico Basal Ganglionic Degeneration).

The couple’s son, Vijay Gupta, had filed the writ alleging that his mother was in “illegal confinement” of his father and being ill-treated by him at their C-Scheme residence in Jaipur. A former World Bank consultant, the petitioner sought the custody of his mother for providing better medical attention and increased emotional support to her.

The court’s notice follows an examination, conducted by a medical board led by Dr. Sheetal Jain, confirming that Ms. Gupta is afflicted with C.B.G.D, which the doctors termed “a chronic progressive, neuro-degenerative disorder”.

Devyani Gupta, eldest daughter of the late Mr. Sukhadia, Rajasthan’s longest serving Chief Minister from 1954 to 1971, has three children—two sons and a daughter. Vijay Gupta is the younger son .

“Not maintainable”

In its directive on May 19, the Division Bench, comprising Justice R. C. Gandhi and Justice R. S. Chauhan, had asked the Superintendent of Sawai Man Singh Hospital to send a specialist doctor to medically examine Ms. Gupta to ascertain her health status. The court did this while observing that the writ as a habeas corpus petition “is not maintainable” as it was a dispute with regard to the treatment of the mother of the petitioner and wife of a retired Brigadier, living with her husband.

The medical team, which examined the 64-year-old Ms. Gupta on May 24 at her residence, stated in its report to the court: “She is conscious, and cooperative, oriented for time, place and person. She is unable to communicate verbally but able to communicate by written language in Hindi and English. She is able to read and write [a] few words. She is able to do activities of her daily living with a minimal support. She is having decreasing hearing from both ears probably due to permanent sensory neural deafness and cortical problem.”

In their latest directive, issued to the 73-year-old Prem Kumar Gupta, the Judges said last Thursday that they were convinced about the ailment of the lady and notice was being issued on the complaint from the son, Vijay Gupta, that the father was not looking after his mother “properly”. The court sought production of the full record of treatment extended to Ms. Gupta for its perusal on July 3.

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