The Central Information Commission has directed the Medical Council of India to make public action taken on a complaint by 35 eminent citizens alleging that Justice (retd) J S Verma had died because of negligence at a prominent private hospital.
Former Chief Justice of India M N Venkatachaliah along with 34 eminent citizens had written to then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh seeking a probe into alleged medical lapses which resulted in the death of Justice Verma.
Activist Subhash Agrawal had sought to know from the MCI details of action taken by the Prime Minister's Office on the petition besides complete file notings and details of the hospital where Verma passed away.
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Information Commissioner Sridhar Acharyulu directed MCI to furnish the documents.
Verma served as 27th Chief Justice of India between March 25, 1997 and January 18, 1998 during which he passed a number of historical judgements including the famous Visakha guidelines which made it mandatory for every office to take steps to prevent sexual harassment at work place.
He also chaired the Justice Verma Committee Report on Amendments to Criminal Law after the infamous December 16 Delhi gangrape case. He passed away at a Gurgaon hospital on April 23, 2013 after which allegations of medical lapses were levelled against the attending doctors and the hospital.
"Such letters from eminent citizens from all walks of life on death of a devoted and honest jurist who spent his post-retirement life in a rented house is indeed a matter of serious concern.
"While those having occupied high posts in legislative system got all types of government provided facilities including government bungalows, secretarial assistance and healthcare, there was no such post-retirement facilities for even retired Chief Justice of the nation," the CIC order noted.
