Two doctors, who extended “medical asylum” to a wanted former MLA by allowing him to remain in hospital for 527 days without any justifiable reason, have been held guilty of contempt by the Supreme Court which said they had “obstructed” in administration of justice.
Prolonged admission
The apex court convicted Gurgaon-based private hospital's Medical Director Munish Prabhakar and Managing Director K.S. Sachdev, saying they were responsible for “such prolonged admission” of the former Haryana legislator, against whom repeated non-bailable warrants were issued by courts in connection with a murder case.
“In our view, the medical professionals, namely Dr. Munish Prabhakar and Dr. K.S Sachdev, extended medical asylum to the respondent (Balbir) without there being any reason or medical condition justifying prolonged admission of the respondent as an indoor patient as a cover to defeat the orders passed by this court and the trial court, as stated above and thereby aided and assisted the respondent in violating the order of this court,” a Bench headed by Chief Justice T.S Thakur said.
“We thus hold the respondent guilty of having violated the order dated October 24, 2013 passed by this court and for having obstructed administration of justice. We also hold Dr. Munish Prabhakar and Dr K.S Sachdev guilty for having helped the respondent in his attempts and thereby obstructing administration of justice,” the bench, also comprising Justices R. Banumathi and U.U Lalit, said.
Violation of court order
The Bench, which also held Balbir guilty of violating the court order, directed the three contemnors to remain present before it on January 2 next year to decide the quantum of punishment to be awarded to them for contempt of court. The court's order came on a petition filed by Sita Ram, who was the informant in the FIR lodged in May 2011 in Rohtak district of Haryana, in which he had sought initiation of contempt of court proceedings against Balbir for “willful and deliberate violation” of the apex court’s October 24, 2013 order. PTI
