AMN / New Delhi
The Supreme Court Tuesday slapped a huge fine of Rs 1.40 crore on two doctors of Gurugram in haryana for giving “medical asylum” to former INLD legislator Balbir Singh after his bail was cancelled in 2013 by the apex court in a 2011 murder case.
A bench of Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice Mohan M. Shantanagoudar directed the doctors — Munish Prabhakar and K.S. Sachdev — to deposit Rs 70 lakh each with the apex court Registry by June 30.
“We are not intending to send you to custody”, the bench said as the two doctors offered unconditional apology and prayed for mercy.
Dr. Sachdev founded the Privat Hospital, Dr. Munish Prabhakar is serving as medical director in it.
The Haryana Police had visited Privat Hospital owned by Dr Sachdeva in Gurugram in Haryana to take custody of Balbir Singh alias Bali Pehalwan, but the hospital authorities had refused to discharge him.
Subsequently, the hospital said the former Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) legislator was fit to be presented in court, yet he was not discharged.
Balbir Singh was admitted to Privat Hospital for 527 days on three different occasions between November 15, 2013, and May 1, 2015, after the Supreme Court cancelled his bail on October 24, 2013.
In the first instance, Bali was admitted in the said hospital for 41 days November 11, 2013 to December 25, 2013, again for 100 days from December 31, 2013 to April 9, 2014 and finally for 386 days from April 11, 2014 to May 1, 2015, the CBI had told the court earlier.
The apex court had reversed a February 11, 2013, order of the Punjab and Haryana High court that granted Balbir Singh bail.