Delhi

West Delhi

CC/10/624

Ram Rattan - Complainant(s)

Versus

Medical Superintendent Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute - Opp.Party(s)

13 Oct 2017

ORDER

CONSUMER  DISPUTES  REDRESSAL  FORUM (WEST)

                            GOVERNMENT OF NCT OF DELHI

  150-151 Community Centre, C-Block, Janak Puri, New Delhi – 110058

 

                                                                                                 Date of institution: 18.08.2010

Complaint Case. No.624/10                                                  Date of order:    13.10.2017

IN  MATTER OF

 

Ram Rattan R/o H.No. 25/547,  Near Railway Fatak Ashok Nagar,  Barahi Road, Bahadurgarh,  Distt.  Jhajjar, Haryana-124507

Complainant

VERSUS

 

Medical Superintendent Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute FC-34, A-4, Paschim Vihar New Delhi -110063.

 

Opposite  party

ORDER

R.S. BAGRI,PRESIDENT

Sh. Ram Rattan named above herein the complainant has filed the present consumer complaint under section 12 of the Consumer Protection Act against Medical Superintendent Sri Balaji Action Medical  Institute hereinafter in short  referred  as  the opposite party for directions to the opposite party to  pay                      Rs. 10,00,000/- on account of  damages suffered by the  complainant and his wife  for irreparable injury, mental agony, torture , harassment  and deficiency  in service on the  part of the  opposite  party. 

Brief facts of the complaint as stated are that Sh. Ram Rattan  complainant is  CGHS beneficiary  under  Pensioners Scheme  of Govt. of India.  The complainant vide letter  no.  1213/2009/DBD/DEL/ dated  02.01.2010 took permission from the competent authority  for treatment –“ Surgery For Bilateral Renal Stone” of his wife Smt. Krishna Devi in  hospital of the opposite party.   

That the complainant on 06.01.2010 admitted  Smt. Krishna Devi  in  hospital of the opposite party .  She was operated right side renal stone  on 06.01.2010 and discharged on 09.01.2010 with follow up instructions of –“ Review  with Dr. Pawan Mehta after two weeks  for readmission  for DJ stent Removal  and other side PCNL” and treatment.    She was admitted on 01.02.2010 in  hospital   of the opposite party for remaining surgery DJ Stent  Removal and other side PCNL  and treatment.  She was taken to operation theater  at 12.30 P.M.   on 01.02.2010.  The complainant was asked to contact penal section of  hospital of the opposite  party immediately .  He contacted penal section of the hospital .  He was asked either  to  deposit Rs. 15,000/-  at cash counter or take back  patient  from operation theater by penal section  of hospital  of the opposite party.  The complainant told penal section of hospital of the opposite party that he is a pensioner and CGHS beneficiary as well as the patient has been admitted with prior permission of the

CGHS Delhi.  He told  that he was not asked to deposit Rs. 15,000/- at the time of re-admission  and discharge of patient on 09.01.2010.  Therefore, he has not brought  the requisite amount .

That the penal section of the opposite party did not pay head to  request   of the complainant   and the patient was discharged without operation.  They instructed the complainant to  bring fresh permission for treatment  from the  CGHS despite the fact permission dated 02.01.2010  was valid for three months .  The complainant contacted the CGHS for fresh permission.  They told that the permission was valid for three months and no fresh permission was  required .   The opposite party  raised bill no. 15655 dated  09.01.2010 for  Rs.  49,700/- towards PCNL  Bilteral  Charges for Rs. 24, 300/-  from the CGHS despite the fact the second part of the surgery had remained un-operated.

That the opposite party raised demand of Rs. 49,700/- from the CGHS through final bill towards entire surgery and treatment despite the fact second part of surgery was not performed.  They also demanded Rs. 15,000/- from the complainant at crucial time when the patient  was  in operation theater .  Hence the act of the opposite party for demand  of Rs. 15,000/-  and directions to the complainant  to take fresh  permission from  CGHS  are mala-fide.  Therefore, there is  unfair  trade practice and deficiency in service  on the part of the opposite party.  Hence  the   present   complaint  for  directions  to   the    opposite  party   to   pay  

 

Rs.  10,00,000/- on account of  damages suffered by the  complainant and his wife  for irreparable injury, mental agony, torture , harassment  and deficiency  in service on the  part of the  opposite  party.

 

 After notice the opposite party appeared  and filed  reply contesting the complaint  and raising preliminary objections of maintainability of the  complaint , non joinder of necessary parties,  the allegations made in complaint are misconceived, baseless, concocted, false, frivolous, vexatious, concealment of  true and material facts and prayed for dismissal of the complaint.

On merits the opposite party admitted that the complainant is CGHS  beneficiary.  He took permission from the  competent authority  for treatment of Surgery For Bilateral Renal Stone of his wife vide letter No.  1213/2009/DBD/DEL/ dated  02.01.2010  Smt. Krishna  Devi wife of   complainant  was operated on 06.01.2010 for  right side renal  stone  and discharged on 09.01.2010. She was instructed to visit hospital of the opposite party after two weeks for remaining surgery DJ Stent  Removal and Otherside PCNL.    She was admitted on 01.02.2010 for remaining surgery DJ Stent  Removal and Otherside PCNL. But  attitude  and  behavior of the complainant was not good.   He failed to satisfy penal section of the opposite  party  about validity of approval  and produce  fresh permission for remaining surgery DJ Stent  Removal and Otherside PCNL.   Therefore,  the patient  was discharged with instructions to the complainant to produce  fresh permission  from the CGHS .  There is no unfair trade practice and deficiency in service on the part of the opposite party  and   prayed for dismissal for of the complaint.

  The complainant filed rejoinder to the reply of the opposite parties while controverting stand of the opposite parties and reiterating his stand. He once again prayed for directions to the opposite party.

            When Sh. Ram Rattan complainant  was asked to lead evidence by way of affidavit, he filed affidavit narrating facts of the complaint.  He also relied upon  Annexure-I   discharge summary dated 09.01.2010, Annexure-II discharge summary dated 01.02.2010,  Annexure –III   letter dated 27.02.2010 ,  Annexure- IV  letter dated 09.02.2010,  Annexure-V  letter dated 13.05.2010 reply  of RTI  Application dated 26.04.2010, Annexure-VI notes and orders of CGHS, Annexure-VII show cause notice dated 16.02.2010,  Annexure-VIII  letter  No. SBAMI:MD:CGHS:SCNKC:1475 dated 09.01.2010, Annexure-IX letter no.  1213/2009/DBD/DEL/ dated 02.01.2010,  Annexure- X bill dated 09.01.2010, Annexure-XI Advance  receipt  dated 01.02.2010 and Annexure-XII bill dated 01.02.2010.       

When the opposite party was asked to lead evidence by way of  affidavit , he   tendered in evidence  affidavit of   Sh. K.N. Gulati  General Manager ( Admn.) narrating the facts of the reply.  The opposite party also relied upon  Annexure R-I     Patient    registration  form,   request  for  admission , admission form, undertaking

from penal patients in lieu of authority letter,  index card of CGHS,  Consent  dated 01.02.2010,  anesthesia  consent,  discharge summary dated 01.02.2010 and nurses sheets.

Both the parties also filed written arguments in support of their  respective version and claim.

 We have heard the complaint in person and Sh. R. P. Pahwa  advocate for the opposite party and gone through the material available on record carefully and thoroughly .

From pleadings  of the parties, affidavits submitted by the parties, documents placed  on record  by  the  parties  and arguments advanced  by the complainant  as well as learned counsel for the opposite parties it is common case of the parties  that the complainant is CGHS  beneficiary  under  pensioner scheme of Government of India.  He took permission for treatment  “Surgery For Bilateral Renal Stone” of his wife Smt. Krishna Devi vide letter  no.  1213/2009/DBD/DEL/ dated  02.01.2010 from competent authority.   She was  admitted on 06.01.2010  in  hospital of the opposite party for surgery right side renal stone.  She was operated on 06.01.2010  and  discharged on 09.01.2010  with follow up instructions  of review  with Dr. Pawan  Mehta  after two weeks  for readmission  for DJ Stent Removal  And Otherside PCNL.    On 01.02.2010  she was admitted in hospital  of the opposite party for remaining surgery  DJ Stent Removal And Otherside PCNL.  The   opposite party  asked the complainant  to deposit Rs. 15,000/-  or take fresh permission from CGHS  and discharged the patient.

The case of the complainant  is that  he took permission for treatment –                 “ Surgery For Bilateral Renal Stone” of his wife Smt. Krishna Devi vide letter  no.  1213/2009/DBD/DEL/ dated  02.01.2010 valid for three months.  She was operated  on 06.01.2010 for   right side renal stone.  She was  discharged  on 09.01.2010 with follow up instructions  of review  with Dr. Pawan  Mehta  after two weeks  for readmission  for DJ Stent Removal  And Otherside PCNL.  She was readmitted on 01.02.2010 , therefore, fresh permission was not  required from the CGHS.

Whereas  the case of the opposite party  is that  complainant  failed to satisfy  penal section of the opposite party   that fresh permission was not required and failed to produce fresh  permission.  Therefore, she was discharged. 

Before proceeding further  it is worthwhile to reproduce relevant part of letter  No. 1213/2009/DBD/DEL/ dated  02.01.2010 which  runs as under:-

“Smt. Krishna Devi  is permitted to undergo the following treatment /investigations procedure at your hospital/diagnostic center:

L/T Surgery for Renal Stone

            Necessary facilities as approved above may please be provided as per the terms  of  Agreement  signed  with  Director,  CGHS  and  guidelines  issued  in O.N         

No. REC.I-2004/JD(Gr.)CGHS/Delhi/CGHS(E).  dated 07.12.2006.

            The Permission is  Valid for  3 months from the date of issue.”

            From bare reading of the complaint, documents  placed on record and letter

No. 1213/2009/DBD/DEL/ dated  02.01.2010 it is crystal clear  that permission for operation  of   Smt. Krishna Devi was valid for three months from 02.01.2010.  She was operated on 06.01. 2010 .  She was discharged on 09.01.2010  with follow up instructions  of review  with Dr. Pawan  Mehta  after two weeks  for readmission  for DJ Stent Removal  And Otherside PCNL.  She was readmitted on 01.02.2010 but hospital of the opposite party refused to operate her for  DJ Stent Removal  And Otherside PCNL and treatment. They discharged her with Direction to the complainant either to deposit Rs. 15,000/- cost of operation or bring fresh permission  from the CGHS despite the fact that  she was admitted within three months from date of permission.   Therefore ,  demand  of  Rs. 15,000/-   by the  opposite party for operation of wife of complainant  and  in alternative   to produce fresh permission from the  CGHS is wrong, illegal and unjust.  Therefore, there is  unfair trade practice and deficiency in service  on  the part of the opposite party. The complainant and his wife Smt. Krishna Devi  have suffered irreparable injury, mental agony, torture , harassment  and irreparable injury on account of unfair trade practice and deficiency in service on the part of the opposite party

            Therefore,  we direct the opposite party to pay a sum of Rs. 50,000/- as compensation  with interest @ 9% from the date of filing the present complaint  till actual realization on account of unfair trade practice and deficiency in service  on the part of the opposite party.   

onHoH

  Order pronounced on : 13.10.2017

• Compliance of the order be made within 30 days after receipt of the order.
• Copy of order be sent to the concerned parties free of cost.
• Thereafter, file be consigned to record.

                  

(PUNEET LAMBA)                                                              ( R.S.  BAGRI )

                         MEMBER                                                                        PRESIDENT