Woman's habeas corpus plea claims clinic detained hubby

Chennai: A 35-year-old woman from Port Blair and now residing in Alandur whose husband underwent a liver transplant at the Global Health City (GHC) at Sholinganallur has approached the Madras high court to direct the police to produce her husband, who has been allegedly kept in illegal custody by the hospital authorities for non-payment of the extra amount demanded for treatment, before the court and set him at liberty.

A division bench comprising Justices M. Venugopal and S. Baskaran, before whom the habeas corpus petition filed by Meenal Singh came up for hearing, ordered notice to the Pallikaranai police and GHC and posted to October 18 further hearing of the case.

According to Meenal Singh, her husband Ajay Singh had undergone a liver transplant at the GHC on June 18. Being the donor, she had paid Rs 33 lakh as demanded by the hospital for transplantation. However, after the surgery was successful, the hospital authorities demanded a further sum of Rs 39 lakh and said unless the amount was settled her husband would not be discharged.

The act of the hospital authorities was unfair. The hospital authorities were detaining her husband illegally. She was chased away and was not allowed to meet her husband. She could only see him through a window. Therefore, she lodged a complaint with the Pallikaranai police. However, there was no response, she added.