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2022 Supreme(Mad) 241

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
R.N. Manjula, J.
P.K. Pounraj – Petitioner
Versus
Dr. S. Ranganathan & Others – Respondents
Crl.R.C. No. 1022 of 2016
Decided On : 04-02-2022

Advocates:
Advocate Appeared:
For the Petitioner:S. Thirumavalavan, Advocate.
For the Respondent:R. Jhon Sathyan, Advocate, A. Gopinath, Government Advocate (Crl.Side).

Headnote:

Indian Penal Code,1973 - Sections 304(A), 201, 465, 468 and 471 – Criminal Procedure Code,1973 - Section 397 r/w 401 – Punishment of Culpable Homicide – Interlocutory order - Defacto complainant is father in law of one deceased was admitted at Hospital run by 2nd and 3rd respondents - Immediately after admitting deceased at Hospital ECG was taken - Since condition of deceased was not improving and he continued to be suffocating and sweating excessively even while he was in air conditioned room his care takers were suspected of some cardiac issue. But 1st and 2nd respondents had continued to give assurance to care takers that deceased had only gastric problem due to digestive disorder - Despite it was suggested to think in term of shifting him to a better Centre for getting further medical investigation and get right treatment suiting to his symptoms 1st and 2nd respondents ignored their anxiety and continued to keep deceased in their hospital - On morning of only deceased was shifted to Intensive Care Unit and thereafter cardiac specialists were summoned - Even before cardiac specialists arrived patient died due to cardiac arrest - Whether or not a prima facie case is made out by taking materials on its face value - Complainant had produced sufficient materials to make out a case of medical negligence and investigation officer has also obtained an independent opinion from experts in relevant field before starting his investigation Court ought to have framed charges and proceeded further - Since learned Magistrate has failed to consider materials available on record on its face value and ignored its sufficiency to make out a prima facie case for medical negligence impugned order is liable to be set aside - Court should not conduct a roving enquiry into the pros and cons of the materials at initial stage itself - For purpose of framing of charges on basis of materials available on record it is sufficient if Court could get an idea about probability of commission of offence - Criminal Revision Case allowed.

JUDGMENT :

(Prayer : This Criminal Revision Case is filed under Section 397 r/w 401 Cr.P.C.,1973, to call for the records in C.C.No.46 of 2015 on the file of the Chief Judicial Magistrate at Dharmapuri and set aside the order passed by the Chief Judicial Magistrate at Dharmapuri in Crl.MP.No.412 of 2015 in C.C.No.46 of 2015 dated 27.04.2016 and thereby direct the Chief Judicial Magistrate to frame charges as against the accused /Respondents 1 and 2 for the offences punishable under sections 304(A), 201, 465, 468 and 471 IPC in the above C.C.No.46 of 2015 and dispose the same in accordance with law.)

1. This Criminal Revision Case has been preferred challenging the order of the learned Chief Judicial Magistrate, Dharmapuri dated 27.04.2016 made in Crl.MP.No.412 of 2015 in C.C.No.46/2015.

2. The facts of the case in brief are as follows :

    The revision petitioner is the defacto complainant, on whose complaint a case was registered by the 3rd respondent police in Cr.No.1017/2014 of B1 Police Station, Dharmapuri under Sec.304(A), 201, 465, 468 and 471 IPC. The defacto complainant is the father in law of one deceased Vijay @ Venkatraman. On 18.08.2014 Vijay @ Venkatraman was admitted at OM Sakthi Hospital run by the 2nd and 3rd respondents. Immediately after admitting the deceased at OM Sakthi Hospital, ECG was taken. Since the condition of the deceased was not improving and he continued to be suffocating and sweating excessively even while he was in the air conditioned room, his care takers were suspected of some cardiac issue. But the 1st and 2nd respondents had continued to give assurance to the care takers that the deceased had only gastric problem due to digestive disorder.

2.1. Despite it was suggested to think in term of shifting him to a better Centre for getting further medical investigation and get the right treatment suiting to his symptoms, the 1st and 2nd respondents ignored their anxiety and continued to keep the deceased in their hospital. On the morning of 19.08.2014 only the deceased was shifted to Intensive Care Unit and thereafter cardiac specialists were summoned. Even before the cardiac specialists arrived the patient died due to cardiac arrest.

3. On these allegations, a complaint was given by the defacto complainant for taking action against the respondents doctors 1 and 2 for medical negligence. After the completion of the investigation the 3rd respondent police filed a Final report against the respondents 1 and 2 for the offences punishable under Sec.304 (A), 201, 465, 468 and 471 IPC. After the case was taken on file by the learned Judicial Magistrate-I, Dharmapuri, in CC.No.24/2015, it was transferred to the learned Chief Judicial Magistrate and got renumbered as CC.No.46/2015. The respondents1 and 2 were also summoned to be present.

4. However, the respondents 1 and 2 had filed a petition for quashing the proceedings in Crl.OP.No.10008/2015 before this Court on 17.03.2015. The same was dismissed as withdrawn on 23.04.2015 even at the admission stage itself. Later a petition was filed by the respondents 1 and 2 before the trial Court to discharge R1 and R2 vide Crl.MP.No.412/2015 in C.C.No.46/2015. The defacto complainant has also filed an intervening petition in Crl.MP.No.221/2016, seeking permission to file counter. Accordingly the defacto complainant was also permitted to file his counter and make his appearance through counsel. The learned Chief Judicial Magistrate allowed the Crl.MP.No.412/2015 on 20.07.2016 and discharged the respondents 1 and 2. Aggrieved over the same the defacto complainant has preferred this Revision Case.

5. Heard, Mr.S.Thirumavalavan, learned counsel for the petitioner and Mr.R.Jhon Sathyan, learned counsel for respondents 1 & 2 and Mr.A.Gopinath, learned Government Advocate (Crl.Side) appearing for the 3rd respondent/State.

6. The learned counsel for the revision petitioner submitted that the learned Magistrate had allowed the petition to discharge the respondents 1and 2 by not proper

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