HC slams 'casual' inquiry into death of Covid-19 patients denied care by hospitals

The High Court of Karnataka has ordered the state government to hold a fresh inquiry into allegations that several hospitals denied admission to two patients who eventually died. Previous inquiries into both the complaints were conducted in a casual manner, the court noted.

A division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Aravind Kumar passed the order following allegations that the patients died mainly due to denial of treatment.

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Of the two incidents, the death of medical practitioner Dr Manjunath S T was brought to the notice of the court through an application filed by an advocate. The court learnt about the death of Chetan Kumar K C through a letter written to the office of the chief justice by the former's father-in-law and Kamalanagar resident Chikkanarasaiah.

Dr Manjunath, a Covid warrior doctor serving at the Chikkamudavadi Primary Health Centre in Ramanagara district, was reportedly denied admission at three hospitals in Bengaluru. He eventually died at the Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute (BMCRI) on July 23.

Kumar died on July 2 at a private hospital after being denied admission by many hospitals since July 1, according to the letter by Chikkanarasaiah.

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Observing that the inquiries were done in a casual manner, the court said that should not be the case when allegations were serious. The court said the inquiry officer had not noted certain overwriting in the document procured from a particular hospital in the report pertaining to Dr Manjunath. The bench also noted that instead of meeting Chikkanarasaiah personally, the inquiry officer spoke to him over the phone.

"We have perused the material. We are of the view that the inquiry into both the complaints appears to have been made in a casual manner. In our view, the inquiry ought to have been entrusted to a very senior police officer," the bench said.

The bench directed the government to hold a proper inquiry in both cases by appointing a senior police officer. It gave three weeks for holding the inquiry and submitting the report.