Gujarat High Court has issued a notice to the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) in response to a petition filed by Rajasthan Hospital in Ahmedabad, challenging its order in the High Court of imposing Rs 77 lakh fine on the hospital for negligence.
The court has also ordered a stay on any coercive action against the hospital.
Shahibaug-based Rajasthan hospital had deposited Rs 25 lakh as fine and has challenged the hefty fine. Urban local body AMC has imposed an exemplary fine worth Rs 77 lakh on the Rajasthan Hospital for showing negligence in admitting a COVID-19 patient in the hospital who later died shortly.
The deceased Hasmukh Kadiya was first admitted to the Lifecare Hospital and was later referred to Rajasthan Hospital because the patient needed ventilator support. The deceased’s family alleged that the hospital made the patient wait outside for almost 30 minutes, and that delay resulted in his death.
An FIR was registered against the board of management members and trustees of the hospital by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation.
However, the public prosecutor has submitted that the CCTV footage from the external view of the hospital was examined properly, which clarifies that the patient was kept waiting for 15 minutes instead of 30 minutes. To which the court sought an explanation that why the patient had to wait even for 15 minutes.
The division bench has issued the notice to AMC, Lifeline Hospital, and the state government, who are expected to submit their reply within six weeks.
