Image: IANS
NEW DELHI: Supreme Court on Tuesday asked two Ghaziabad hospitals, accused of refusing to treat a semi-conscious minor rape survivor who died on way to a govt hospital, whether they would voluntarily compensate her parents or await the court determining the quantum of compensation.The SC-constituted special investigation team (SIT) found credence in the father’s charge that two private hospitals-Khajan Singh Manvi Health Care and St Joseph Hospital-refused to provide immediate treatment to the sexually assaulted four-year-old child, who was grievously injured. She succumbed to her injuries while being taken to the district govt hospital.Referring to the report, a partial working day bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justice V Mohana said “some action is required to be taken” and asked the hospital counsel to remain present on the next date of hearing.Before adjourning the hearing, SC asked the counsel for one of the hospitals how much it would voluntarily pay the parents of the deceased girl? “If you admit negligence and voluntarily compensate the parents, it is fine. Otherwise, we will determine the compensation payable by the hospitals to the parents,” it said.When the father first approached the Supreme Court, a bench led by the CJI had said, “The petition not only reveals this diabolic offence but also highlights the alleged approach of two private hospitals and the officers of the local police station (Nandgram), which is completely indifferent, inhuman and insensitive.” In its order, the bench had recorded that the parents and their relatives’ trauma was aggravated when the local police, instead of taking cognisance of the “horrifying offence, locked them up and physically assaulted them with an admonition to remain silent about the incident”.The apex court had also faulted the doctor who prepared the post-mortem examination report for failing to mention aggravated sexual assault despite recording “several wounds and presence of blood observed on victim’s private parts, apart from injuries on her head and other body parts”.
