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Allahabad High Court on Thursday, took serious note of the gross negligence that was prima facie shown by the Officers of a Hospital in Prayagraj, where more than three months have passed since an 82-year old elderly Covid patient has gone missing.

Heavily reprimanding the Prayagraj District Administration, Police, and the TB Sapru Hospital administration (Prayagraj), the Division Bench of Justice Surya Prakash Kesarwani and Justice Piyush Agrawal stated,

“The facts stated by the Senior Superintendent of Police, Prayagraj, in his personal affidavit also indicates apathetic condition of T.B. Sapru Hospital, Prayagraj, where even C.C.T.V. Cameras are non-functional. Undisputedly, the corpus was admitted in T.B. Sapru Hospital for treatment as he was tested corona positive. Neither the District Administration nor the Police nor the Hospital appears to be serious about the missing of the corpus although more than three months have passed since the missing report was registered on 08.05.2021.”

Stressing that failure to taking immediate action and response in the matter might result in calling for personal presence of Principal Secretary, Medical Health and the Principal Secretary Home, Uttar Pradesh, the Court made sour remarks over the poor condition of the facility.

“This prima facie shows not only gross negligence and dereliction in duty by the Officers/Doctors/Staff of the TB Sapru Hospital, Prayagraj but also indicates total carelessness in treatment, look-after and safety of COVID patients at T.B. Sapru Hospital, Prayagraj,” Court said.

The matter before the court involved a Habeas Corpus plea seeking the release of an 82 years old elderly man from the custody of TB Sapru Hospital in Prayagraj, where he was admitted for treatment of Covid-19 but allegedly went missing.

Calling for the Report/plan for the purpose to be placed before Court on the next date fixed, the court directed the State Government to immediately ensure that all infrastructure facilities and security equipments, safety and security measures of high standards be installed with inbuilt provisions of its regular maintenance and periodical audit around the Hospital premises.

Lastly, the Court directed the State to ensure that before the next date fixed the corpus may be traced and a report in this regard be placed before this Bench.

The matter is listed to put as fresh again on August 27, 2021.