New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday directed Delhiβs Sir Ganga Ram Hospital to ensure that comprehensive medical care is provided to an acid attack survivor until she is deemed fit for discharge. The intervention came after the court was informed that the private institution had instructed the victim to transfer to Safdarjung Hospital for further management.
A judicial bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant took up the case following an urgent mentioning by Shaheen Malik, an acid attack survivor and founder of the Brave Souls Foundation, an organisation dedicated to the welfare and rehabilitation of victims.
Malik brought to the attention of the court that the victim sustained severe acid attack injuries in the Bhajanpura area of Delhi on October 6. Despite statutory provisions entitling victims to free medical care, Malik stated that leading private hospitals in the capital were turning the patient away. Although currently admitted at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Malik reported that the facility attempted to discharge the patient on Friday under the pretext of lacking a specialized burn unit. Similar rejections were reportedly encountered at Apollo Hospital.
The bench, which also included justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, remarked that the application highlighted distressing circumstances. Malik emphasized that both of the victim's eyes were severely damaged and questioned why a private facility would shift her to a government hospital when the law guarantees free treatment at any hospital.
The legal petition referenced Section 397 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, which mandates that all public and private medical institutions immediately provide free first-aid and treatment to victims of acid attacks.
Responding to the emergency appeal, the bench instructed the management of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital to retain the survivor as an indoor patient and administer all necessary facilities, including medication, plastic surgery, and ongoing interventions, regardless of financial costs. The court further instructed the hospital to submit its medical bills directly to the judiciary and stipulated that the patient must remain hospitalized until she is fully stable and requires solely outpatient care.
The initial application detailed that following the assault on October 6, the victim was initially taken to the Delhi government-run GTB Hospital. She requested a discharge on October 8 and arrived at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital later that afternoon, where she faced a lengthy wait before being admitted to the emergency department.
The petition noted that aside from basic first-aid dressings, the patient received no substantive medical care, leaving her vulnerable despite the severe nature of her injuries. When the family was subsequently advised to prepare for a transfer to another medical facility on Friday, Malik intervened to secure an urgent hearing before the Chief Justice. The Supreme Court registry has been instructed to list the application alongside an existing pending matter filed by Malik concerning acid attack survivors.