Mother’s treatment for cancer | Daughter’s plea for reimbursement of medical claims is literally a distress call: HC

Srinagar, Jan 12: The High Court of J&K and Ladakh has termed as “serious” a Treasury Officer’s phone call to a petitioner’s  counsel  that “unless and until the petitioner withdraws her writ petition, he is not going to process her reimbursement file."

A medico (petitioner) through her counsel Khushnama Chowdhary has approached the court with the grievance that for her ailing mother who is under treatment for cancer is on the verge of suffering loss of life because of acts of “omission or commission” on the part of the authorities in reimbursing of her medical claims related to treatment of her mother.

Chowdhary stated at the Bar that Ajaz Hussain Padder, Treasury Officer, Kokernag, with whom the reimbursement bills of the petitioner are pending approval has made a phone call to her mobile number with the words that “unless and until the petitioner withdraws the writ petition, he is not going to process the reimbursement file”.

“This writ petition by the petitioner is literally a distress call to this Court invoking article 226 of the Constitution of India with the grievance that for her ailing mother who is suffering from a cancer under treatment is on the verge of suffering loss of life because of acts of omission or commission on the part of the respondents,” a bench of Justice Rahul Bharti said.

“The matter is too serious to be taken casually or leniently”, the Court said and directed to issue notice to the J&K government through Commissioner Secretary Finance, Director General Accounts and Treasuries Jammu, Srinagar , Director Accounts and Treasuries Kashmir, District Treasury Officer Anantnag and Treasury Officer Kokernag.

On behalf of the Accountant General, Advocate Bisma Ali appearing vice T.M. Shamsi, DSGI, entered the appearance and accepted notice.

The Court directed Registrar Judicial, Srinagar to issue notice for personal appearance of Director Accounts and Treasuries Kashmir, District Treasury Officer Anantnag and Treasury Officer Kokernag to be served through SSP, Anantnag.

It directed SSP, Anantnag to apprise the three authorities with respect to their personal appearance in the Court on January 16 while listing the matter higher up on that day.