Writ Petition No. 2625 of 2025 · The High Court
Case Details
- 1 - NC: 2025:KHC:8868 WP No. 2625 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 28TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE N S SANJAY GOWDA WRIT PETITION NO. 2625 OF 2025 (LB-RES) BETWEEN: 1. MAST. JADEN LUCAS S/O DAVID, AGED ABOUT 9 YEARS, R/AT NO 187, MRS PALYA, NANDI DURGA ROAD, BENSON TOWN POST, BANGALORE -46 REPRESENTED BY HIS MOTHER NATURAL GUARDIAN SMT. PREMA LATHA W/O DAVID, AGED ABOUT 36 YEARS. (BY SRI. SRINIVAS V., ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE CHIEF COMMISSIONER N.R.SQUARE, BBMP, BANGALORE-01. Digitally signed by KIRAN KUMAR R Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA …PETITIONER 2. THE SPECIAL COMMISSIONER, FOREST, ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION CIRCLE, N.R.SQUARE, BBMP, BANGALORE-01. - 2 - NC: 2025:KHC:8868 WP No. 2625 of 2025 3. THE SPECIAL COMMISSIONER (HEALTH) OFFICE OF CHIEF COMMISSIONER N R SQUARE BBMP BANGALORE -01. 4. THE DEPUTY CONSERVATOR OF FOREST BBMP, OFFICE OF CHIEF COMMISSIONER N R SQUARE, BANGALORE-560 001.
Legal Reasoning
(BY SRI. NAVEEN CHANDRASHEKAR., ADVOCATE) …RESPONDENTS THIS WP IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO DIRECT THE RESPONDENTS TO PAY MEDICAL EXPENSES OF THE PETITIONER AS PER THE BILLING ESTIMATE DTD. 31.12.2024 SENT BY THE HOSPITAL i.e., ANNX-G1 TO THE WRIT PETITION. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR JUSTICE N S SANJAY GOWDA ORAL ORDER 1. On 18.12.2024, a branch of a mango tree fell on the petitioner, who is a nine year old, resulting in grievous injuries, which resulted in his hospitalization at Bhagwan Mahaveer Jain Hospital, immediately. - 3 - NC: 2025:KHC:8868 WP No. 2625 of 2025 2. The father of the petitioner lodged a complaint against the officials of the BBMP accusing them of negligence and for initiation of criminal proceedings. 3. At that stage, the BBMP through its Range Forest Officer addressed a letter to the Sub-Inspector of Police on 15.01.2025 which was in the following terms: TO EXTRACT FROM PAGE 3 §ÈºÀvï ¨ÉAUÀ¼ÀÆgÀÄ ªÀĺÁ£ÀUÀgÀ ¥Á°PÉ ¸ÀASÉå:ªÀCC/¦Dgï/773/2024-25 ªÀ®AiÀÄ CgÀuÁå¢üPÁj, ¥ÀƪÀð ªÀ®AiÀÄ, 21£Éà ªÀĺÀr, AiÀÄÄn°n ©°ØAUï, ¨ÉAUÀ¼ÀÆgÀÄ. ¢£ÁAPÀ: 15.01.2025 gÀªÀjUÉ, DgÀPÀëPÀ G¥À £ÀjÃPÀëPÀgÀÄ, eÉ.¹.£ÀUÀgÀ ¥Éưøï oÁuÉ, ¨ÉAUÀ¼ÀÆgÀÄ. ªÀiÁ£ÀågÉ, «µÀAiÀÄ: ²æà qÉ«qï ¨É£ï qÁå¤AiÀįï, £ÀA.115, JA.Dgï.J¸ï.¥Á¼Àå, eÉ.¹.£ÀUÀgÀ, ¨ÉAUÀ¼ÀÆgÀÄ EªÀgÀ zÀÆj£À §UÉÎ G¯ÉèÃR: vÀªÀÄä PÀbÉÃj ¥ÀvÀæ ¸ÀA.©1/¦J¸ï/¸Á/Cfð/252/2024 - 4 - NC: 2025:KHC:8868 WP No. 2625 of 2025 ¢£ÁAPÀ: 01.01.2025 *** ªÉÄîÌAqÀ «µÀAiÀÄ ºÁUÀÆ G¯ÉèÃRPÉÌ ¸ÀA§A¢ü¹zÀAvÉ, ²æà qÉ«qï ©£ï qÁå¤AiÀįï, £ÀA.115. JA.Dgï.J¸ï.¥Á¼Àå eÉ.¹£ÀUÀgÀ, ¨ÉAUÀ¼ÀÆgÀÄ gÀªÀgÀ ¤ÃrzÀ zÀÆj£À£ÀéAiÀÄ, CªÀgÀ ªÀÄUÀ£ÁzÀ PÀĪÀiÁgï.®ÆPÁ¸ï, 9 ªÀµÀðzÀ ¨Á®PÀ£À ªÉÄÃ¯É ¢£ÁAPÀ 18.12.2024 gÀAzÀÄ £ÀA¢ zÀÄUÀð gÀ¸ÉÛAiÀÄ DAd£ÉÃAiÀÄ mÉA¥À¯ï ºÀwÛgÀzÀ §¸ï ¸ÁÖ¥ï ¥ÀPÀÌzÀ ªÀiÁ«£À ªÀÄgÀzÀ PÉÆA¨ÉAiÀÄÄ ªÀÄÄjzÀÄ ©zÀÄÝ ªÀÄUÀÄ«UÉ C£ÁºÀÄvÀªÁVgÀÄvÀÛzÉ F C£ÁºÀÄvÀPÉÌ ©©JA¦ ªÀÄvÀÄÛ CgÀtå C¢üPÁjUÀ¼À «gÀÄzÀÞ PÁ£ÀÆ£ÀÄ PÀæªÀÄ dgÀÄV¸ÀĪÀAvÉ zÀÆgÀÄ ¤ÃrgÀÄvÁÛgÉ. zÉêÀ¸ÁÜ£ÀzÀ ¢£ÁAPÀ: 18.12.2024 gÀAzÀÄ C£ÁºÀÄvÀ £ÀqÉzÀ ¸ÀܼÀPÉÌ ¨sÉÃn ªÀÄgÀªÀÅ §½AiÀÄ ¤ÃrzÁUÀ, DgÉÆÃUÀåPÀgÀªÁVzÀÄÝ, AiÀiÁªÀÅzÉà jÃwAiÀÄ°è C¥ÁAiÀÄ GAmÁUÀĪÀ ¸ÁzsÀåvÉUÀ½gÀĪÀÅzÀÄ PÀAqÀħA¢gÀĪÀÅ¢®è. DzÀgÀÆ DgÉÆÃUÀåPÀgÀªÁVzÀÝ ªÀÄgÀzÀ ºÀ¹ PÉÆA¨ÉAiÀÄÄ CZÁ£ÀPÉÌ ©zÀÄÝ, C¥ÀWÁvÀªÁVgÀÄvÀÛzÉ. ªÀiÁ«£À ¸ÀzÀj C¥ÀWÁvÀPÉÌ ¸ÀA§A¢ü¹zÀAvÉ, ªÀÄUÀĪÀ£ÀÄß ªÀĺÁ«ÃgÀ eÉÊ£ï D¸ÀàvÉæUÉ zÁR®Ä ªÀiÁrzÀÄÝ, ¢£ÁAPÀ 18.12.2024 gÀ ¸ÀA¥ÀÇtð ªÀgÀ¢AiÀÄ£ÀÄß «±ÉõÀ DAiÀÄÄPÀÛgÀ UÀªÀÄ£ÀPÉÌ vÀgÀ¯ÁV ªÀÄUÀÄ«£À DgÉÆÃUÀåzÀ aQvÉìUÉ ºÁUÀÆ ªÉÊzÀåQÃAiÀÄ ªÉZÀÑzÀ §UÉÎ PÁ£ÀÆ£ÀÄ jÃvÀå PÀæªÀĪÀ»¸À®Ä ¸ÀÆa¹gÀÄvÁÛgÉ. (¥Àæw ®UÀwÛ¹zÉ). ªÉÊzÀåQÃAiÀÄ ªÉZÀÑ ºÁUÀÆ ªÀÄUÀÄ«£À DgÉÆÃUÀåzÀ §UÉÎ «±ÉõÀ DAiÀÄÄPÀÛgÀ UÀªÀÄ£ÀPÉÌ PÀqÀvÀªÀ£ÀÄß ªÀÄAr¸À¯ÁVgÀÄvÀÛzÉ. ¸ÀzÀj ¥ÀæwUÀ¼À£ÀÄß vÀªÀÄä ªÀÄÄA¢£À PÀæªÀÄPÁÌV ¸À°è¹zÉ. ªÀAzÀ£ÉUÀ¼ÉÆA¢UÉ, vÀªÀÄä «±Áé¹ ¸À»/- 15/1/25 ªÀ®AiÀÄ CgÀuÁå¢üPÁj ¥ÀǪÀð ªÀ®AiÀÄ, ©©JA¦ - 5 - NC: 2025:KHC:8868 WP No. 2625 of 2025 ¥ÀæwAiÀÄ£ÀÄß 1. ªÀiÁ£Àå G¥À CgÀtå ¸ÀAgÀPÁë¢üPÁjUÀ¼ÀÄ, ©©JA¦, ¨ÉAUÀ¼ÀÆgÀÄ EªÀgÀ ªÀiÁ»wUÁV ¸À°è¹zÉ. 2. ¸ÀºÁAiÀÄPÀ CgÀtå ¸ÀAgÀPÀëuÁ¢üPÁjUÀ¼ÀÄ, G¥À«¨sÁUÀ-1, ©©JA¦, ¨ÉAUÀ¼ÀÆgÀÄ EªÀgÀ ªÀiÁ»wUÁV ¸À°è¹zÉ. 4. On the basis of this letter, the Police proceeded to accept the request of the BBMP and did not register a crime. In other words, on the basis of the assurance given by the BBMP that it would take care of the medical expenditure incurred in treating the child’s injuries, the Police chose not to register a crime. 5. However, the petitioner has approached this Court contending that despite the unconditional undertaking of the BBMP, the BBMP is now taking up a stand that it would cover the medical expenses only to the extent provided under the CGHS Scheme, which it has applied to its employees. 6. It is also contended that the BBMP has only released amounts only to this extent. - 6 - NC: 2025:KHC:8868 WP No. 2625 of 2025 7. As could be seen from the communication addressed by the BBMP to the Police, there was no such condition imposed by them that they would cover the medical expenditures to any particular limit or more specifically, to the extent provided under the CGHS Scheme. 8. In light of the unconditional undertaking given by the BBMP to the Police, by which, BBMP had abided covering treatment charges, they cannot be permitted to resile from this undertaking and cannot be permitted to contend that their liability is restricted to the extent specified in the CGHS Scheme. 9. Consequently, the BBMP is directed to meet the expenditure incurred by the petitioner for his hospitalization at Bhagwan Mahaveer Jain Hospital. 10. If, in the event, the money is already paid by the petitioner’s father to the Hospital, the BBMP shall - 7 - NC: 2025:KHC:8868 WP No. 2625 of 2025 reimburse the same to the petitioner’s father forthwith. 11. If the amount is not paid by the petitioner or his father to the Hospital, the BBMP shall pay the said amount to the Hospital.
Decision
12. The writ petition is accordingly disposed of. 13. It is also noticed, this Court is coming across quite a few cases, in which loss of life or serious injuries have incurred as a result of either fall of a branch of a tree or an untoward incident due to faulty footpaths and roads by the BBMP. 14. In this regard, it would be appropriate for the BBMP to evolve a policy whereby it either takes an insurance policy to fully cover these incidents needs or an insurance policy specifying the limits of its liability. - 8 - NC: 2025:KHC:8868 WP No. 2625 of 2025 15. Unless such a procedure is prescribed, it must be stated here that the BBMP would suffer the liability of meeting all damagers that a citizen would incur. 16. Hence, the BBMP to look into this matter and evolve an appropriate scheme accordingly. 17. The BBMP shall comply with this order for payment as well as for evolving a scheme within a period of two months from today. 18. Notwithstanding the disposal of this petition, the matter be re-listed on 28.04.2025 to enable the BBMP to report compliance, with a direction to frame an appropriate Scheme in this regard. Sd/- (N S SANJAY GOWDA) JUDGE RK List No.: 1 Sl No.: 51