The Madras High Court on Thursday ordered that a 15-year-old boy, who was injured by a firearm at the Neelankarai police station on January 7, be discharged from the hospital on settlement of bills by the police. The boy could take treatment as an out-patient in the same hospital at his own cost, the police said.
A Division Bench comprising Justices S. Rajeswaran and P.N. Prakash passed the order on a petition by the boy’s mother to produce her son, now being treated at Global Hospital, Perumbakkam, and an enquiry conducted into his “illegal arrest.” The petitioner also sought a direction to the authorities to provide continuous treatment to her son in the hospital.
The Bench observed that when a clear and categorical report had been given by the hospital’s Medical Director, after getting reports from other doctors, that the boy, who was being treated for the past 31 days, was medically fit to get discharged, it was not for the court to sit on judgment over the report. Moreover, all the hospital bills would be settled by the government before the boy was discharged. Already, Rs.one lakh had been paid as a solatium to the boy on the orders of the Chief Minister on January 20. When such was the position, the patient need not be kept in the hospital.
The court directed the police to file counter to the main habeas corpus petition by March 4.
The petition has been posted for March 5.
