The Delhi High Court has directed the Delhi Government to reimburse forthwith over `16 lakh to a serving judge of the district judiciary towards the cost of Covid treatment incurred by him during the second wave of the pandemic.
Additional District Judge (ADJ) Dinesh Kumar was hospitalised from April 22-June 7, 2021, at the Pushpawati Singhania Research Institute (PSRI) in the national Capital after he contracted Covid-19. Kumar was charged `24,02,380 for his treatment. However, the Delhi Government reimbursed `7,08,500 and refused to pay the balance sum of `16,93,880.
The refusal was on the ground that the hospital charged the amount ignoring the rates prescribed under the June 20, 2020, circular of the State Government “fixing the charges leviable for treatment of Covid-19 patients”
The High Court refused to accept the submission of the Delhi Government's counsel that the private hospital, where the ADJ was treated, shall be asked to explain why it charged amounts higher than those prescribed in a Government circular.
The hospital, he said, shall be directed to refund the overcharged amount of `16,93,880.
