SC fines two doctors Rs 1.40 cr for medical asylum to ex-MLA

The Supreme Court on Tuesday slapped a whopping Rs 1.40 crore fine on two Gurugram-based doctors 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 Supreme 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.

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.

Dr Sachdev is the founder-owner of Privat Hospital, whereas Dr Munish Prabhakar is its Medical Director.

The apex court had cancelled the politician's bail, reversed a February 11, 2013, order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court that granted bail to him.

Balbir Singh and others are accused in a murder in Kalanaur area of Rohtak district in Haryana.

--IANS

pk/tsb/vt