CENTRAL ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL GUWAHATI BENCH Original Application No. 040/011/2025 HON’BLE MR SANJIV KUMAR, ADMINISTRATIVE MEMBER Shri Gautam Chanda, aged about 59 years S/o- Late Sudhir Ranjan Chanda R/o- Okland, near CBI Office Shillong-793001.

.......Applicant -AND-

(1. Deleted vide order dated 21.01.2025)

2. Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd.

Represented by its Chairman-cum-Managing Director, 3rd Floor, BSNL Bhawan, Janpath, New Delhi-110001.

3. The Chief General Manager, BSNL, Panbazar Guwahati, 781001, Kamrup (M), Assam.

---Respondents Present:

For applicant(s): Sri Gopika Ranjan Dev Ms. D. Ghosh For respondents: Sri G. Goswami, BSNL Adv.

Date of hearing: 10.03.2026 Date of Order: 13.03.2026

ORDER

PER MR SANJIV KUMAR, ADMINISTRATIVE MEMBER :

This application has been preferred to seek the following reliefs:

“8.i. To direct the respondent authorities to reimburse the medical bills for Rs. 1,14,870/- (Rupees One Lakh Fourteen Thousand Eight Hundred Seventy) only and Rs. 1,10,453/- (Rupees One Lakh Ten Thousand Four Hundred Fifty Three) only respectively without further loss of time.

8.ii Interest @ 10% per annum as per rules and regulations

8.iii Cost of the application

8.iv Any other relief the applicant is entitled to under the facts and circumstances of the case and as may be deemed fit and proper by this Hon'ble Tribunal upon consideration the matter.”

2. Brief facts of the case as submitted by learned counsel for the applicant are that, applicant is a retired BSNL employee and his dependent family members are entitled for availing the benefits of the Medical Scheme. On 01.08.2022, his unmarried dependent sister, Miss. Jasasmita Chanda, was admitted in Bethany Hospital, Shillong with complaints of severe pain in abdomen and nausea and Emergency Certificate was also issued by the Doctor. After operation she was discharged from the hospital on 06-08- 2022. Thereafter, on 24.02.2023 he submitted medical bills for reimbursement amounting to Rs.1,14,870/- and Rs. 1,10,453/- respectively (Annexure A-3). On enquiry regarding the fate of the Bills, he was informed verbally that Bethany Hospital, Shillong is no longer an empanelled hospital. He submitted a copy of medical card and also a copy of the Doctor's advice certifying the case as emergency with all the relevant documents whatever he could obtained. He sent several applications for reimbursement of the same and with last reminder on 22-07-2024 Annexure A-4), however, the same has not been reimbursed till date.

3. The respondents have stated that applicant had sought information under RTI on 24.01.2024 regarding nonpayment of Medical reimbursement Bill. The concerned authority replied on 07.02.2024 (Annexure A1) categorically stating that his application for reimbursement of indoor medical is pending due to non-submission of the mandatory supporting documents.

For operation of the BSNL Employees Medical reimbursement policy, the BSNL Corporate office vide office order No. BSNL/ADMN/1 dated 22.04.2003 published certain instructions. As per the said instruction, the employee has to follow certain procedure while applying for Medical reimbursement for indoor treatment and the application for Medical reimbursement mandatorily accompany certain supporting documents. The applicant has not submitted those supporting documents while applying for Medical reimbursement pertaining to indoor treatment. Consequently, his Indoor medical bills were returned intimating the reason for such rejection/return vide letter dated 15.04.2024 through registered post. However, the applicant has refused and returned the said registered mail with “addressee refused to accept and hence returned to sender".

4. The applicant in his rejoinder has stated that the bills for reimbursement were submitted on 24.02.2023, but there was no response. Only after 11 (Eleven) months, he got a reply from the respondents on 07.02.2024, wherein they have stated that due to non-submission of some documents the said medical bills could not b