A division bench of Justices S A Bobade and Mridula Bhatkar was hearing a petition filed by SHHPL challenging the notices issued by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), directing the hospital to vacate the nearly seven-acre premises allotted to them in suburban Marol.
The civic body has been at loggerheads with the hospital management over 20 percent reservation of beds for 'poor and needy' patients. In November last, the High Court had asked the corporation to grant an NOC to the hospital to mortgage the hospital building, to acquire additional loan from banks.
However, the court was informed by the hospital that the NOC issued by the corporation imposed severe conditions which created further obstacles.
In February this year, the court directed BMC to issue a fresh NOC. However, senior counsel Venkatesh Dhond, appearing for the hospital, today told the court that the fresh NOC had the same conditions as the earlier one.
"By imposing these conditions you (BMC) are inviting contempt of court. It seems that someone does not want it (unconditional NOC) to happen," Justice Bobade said.
The corporation was on the last hearing severly castigated for making a "mockery" of court order directing it to issue a NOC without any conditions.
SHHPL had on the last hearing informed the court that it was ready to construct a separate wing with 300 beds and hand it over to the corporation as a part of its condition to reserve some beds for the poor patients. The civic body is yet to take a decision on the hospital's proposal to do so.
The court has posted the matter for further hearing on June 20.
