The Punjab and Haryana High Court has disposed of a petition filed by Balwant Singh Rajoana, directing the authorities to immediately take him to the Department of Ophthalmology at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, for examination and appropriate treatment of his eye condition.
The Bench of Justice Jasjit Singh Bedi passed the order while hearing Rajoana’s petition under Section 528 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), corresponding to Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
Rajoana had sought permission to undergo an eye operation at Dr R.S. Randhawa Eye Hospital in Patiala at his own expense. The petition arose from proceedings connected with FIR No. 9 dated August 31, 1995.
Rajoana has been in custody for more than three decades in connection with the 1995 case and had approached the High Court citing deterioration in his eyesight. According to the petition, he had been advised cataract treatment and was experiencing increasing difficulty with his eyes.
The medical opinion placed before the Court indicated that the cataract condition in both eyes remained similar to that noted during his previous examination. He was also experiencing increasing irritation while wearing his prescribed spectacles.
During the hearing, Senior Advocate P.S. Hundal, appearing for Rajoana, submitted that his client would have no objection if he was examined and treated at PGIMER, Chandigarh.
Counsel appearing for the Union of India and the Chandigarh Administration assured the Court that Rajoana would be taken immediately to the Department of Ophthalmology at PGIMER and provided appropriate medical treatment.
In view of the assurance given by the authorities, the Court observed that no further directions were necessary and disposed of the petition.
The order ensures that Rajoana’s eye condition will be assessed and treated at PGIMER, rather than at the private hospital in Patiala that he had initially sought permission to visit.
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