Treatment of prisoners in pvt hospitals should be avoided: HC

Mumbai, Sep 5 (UNI) The Bombay High Court today observed that when prisoners can be treated in government-run hospitals, private hospitals should be avoided as far as possible unless required for specific tests.

Justice S C Dharmadhikari, while dealing with a bail application on medical grounds by Sharad Teredesai, passed the order in view of the large number of applications filed on similar grounds by prisoners to evade jail term by getting themselves admitted in private hospitals.

The court held that when a prisoner complains of any health problem, he must be taken to government hospital only. If these state-run hospitals cannot provide the treatment required, then a municipal hospital may be approached, especially in cities like Mumbai that have very well-equipped ones. Further, if there is requirement for any treatment or tests that are unavailable in such hospitals, then the person can be taken to a private hospital.

Teredesai, who was vice president of Universal Medicare Pvt Ltd, was arrested for fraud within the company in 2005 amounting to Rs 10 crore. Following the arrest, he managed to secure bail on medical grounds and got it extended for almost one and half years.

He was arrested again in July this year but had to be taken to J J Hospital for chest pain. However, after being discharged he has applied for bail stating that he needs to have an angiography done and for medical follow-up.

While the judge today granted him temporary bail, public prosecutor Satish Borulkar insisted that he should be examined by Head of Cardiology Department of J J Hospital, and then only his bail application be considered.

Therefore, the judge asked the J J authorities to submit their check-up report by September 12 when the matter will be finally decided.

Adv Borulkar, while arguing in the matter, also told the court that many prisoners, use the pretext of medical grounds and get themselves admitted in private hospitals as soon as they are arrested. Therefore, he contended that when such prisoners are admitted, the doctors of such hospitals should be asked to submit reports of such patients in form of affidavit before the court.

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