Chandigarh, December 7
The unspent amount received from government agencies and non-governmental organisations could not be refunded to patients, as the same was required to be returned to the respective organisation that had donated it, stated the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum-I while making observations in a case filed by a Ludhiana-based resident Manjit Kaur against Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGI), Chandigarh.

The complainant submitted that she took her son Kuldeep Singh, who had been suffering from heart problem since 2007, to the PGI for treatment. After the check-up, she was advised to arrange Rs 3 lakh, for the insertion of valves as there was blockage in the heart of the patient. Being poor, the complainant was able to arrange only Rs 1,50,000 from different government agencies and non-governmental organisations, including the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MHFW), which was deposited with the PGI. She arranged Rs 1.85 lakh from her near and dear ones for the treatment of her son. On January 15, 2009, the patient was admitted to the hospital for operation. On January 19, 2009, she purchased surgical items worth Rs 1,37,909, as asked by doctors. She said on the intervening night of January 19 and 20, the condition of her son started deteriorating and despite repeated calls, the patient was not attended to and her son breathed his last on January 20.

The counsel for the opposite party pleaded that after evaluation, the patient and attendants were explained about the disease and as the patient had to undergo double valve replacement they were asked to arrange Rs 1.5 lakh. The opposite parties recommended the said patient to get financial help from National Illness Assistance Fund, from where the assistance of Rs 50,000 was provided and the patient opted to get ‘TTK Chitra’ valve for his operation. However, the patient changed his mind to get the other prosthetic valve, which was costlier than ‘TTK Chitra’. It is admitted that the amount of Rs 1,50,000 was deposited with the PGI. Out of Health Ministers discretionary grant, an amount of Rs 20,000 was received in Private Grant Cell from the ministry but as the patient’s attendants failed to approach the Poor Patients Assistance Cell with an identity proof the same was returned to the MHFW.

The opposite party further pleaded that the surgical items were purchased by the Medical Superintendent and Director, PGI, so the said assertion of the complainant with regard to purchase of surgical items was wrong and the treating doctor never advised her to purchase any surgical item.

The forum comprising president PD Goel and members Rajinder Singh Gill and Madanjit Kaur Sahota observed since the bills of the same were in the name of PGI as evidenced by the bills, so the refund of Rs 1,37,909 could not be allowed to the complainant.

Chandigarh, December 7
A retired Army official’s desire of enjoying a few days of his retired life, along with his wife at the Country Club in the southern part of the country turned out to be a distant dream, as the club failed to register him as its member.

Col (retd) Provir Singh had entered into an agreement with the Hyderabad-based firm, Country Club for a holiday package once a year for a period of five years by paying an amount of Rs 35,000 with additional maintenance charges of Rs 5,000 every year.

After the company failed to register him as a member, he requested for the refund of his deposited money. However, despite repeated requests and a legal notice, the club failed to refund his deposited money.

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum-I comprising president PD Goel and members, Rajinder Singh Gill and Madanjit Kaur Sahota, directed to refund the amount of Rs 35,000 to the complainant, besides slapping a fine of Rs 10,000 along with Rs 2,500 as costs of litigation on the club.

The complainant submitted that he entered into an agreement on March 11, 2011 for a holiday package after he got an invitation through an SMS from the opposite parties to attend presentation regarding the package. He made the payment of Rs 35,000 through his wife’s credit card and the opposite parties informed him that he would receive the permanent receipt and the membership card within 15 days. However, after the lapse of three months, he neither received the permanent receipt nor the membership card. He sent a number of e-mails to the Delhi office of the Country Club but to no avail.

The company representative forwarded a membership number, username and a password for online bookings on June 2, which turned out to be fictitious. This fact was brought to the notice of the company, which on June 6 sent him the e-mail asking him to sign a fresh agreement because the earlier agreement signed by him was incorrect. He sent e-mail to the company on June 7 with the request to withdraw his name from the membership and refund the entire amount with interest but the opposite party failed to do so.

Panchkula, December 7
Denying claim to a widow on frivolous basis against the policy of Rs 5 lakh owned by her husband cost dear for the LIC of India.

The forum comprising Ashok Kumar Jain, president, and member SP Singh directed the company to pay a penalty of Rs 25,000, along with Rs 5, 000 as cost of litigation, to the complainant.

Neelam Chopra, wife of late Rakesh Chopra, a resident of Mohali, in her complaint, stated that her husband had submitted a proposal form (Ex C-1) for insurance of his own life on January 24, 2003. He was medically examined by doctors on the same day. He was then issued a policy worth Rs 5 lakh on February 21. Rakesh, however, died in April, 2004.

However, the LIC of India repudiated the claim of the complainant on the ground that the deceased had suppressed material information regarding his health at the time of effecting the policy and also on the ground that the claim had become time barred.

The complainant, on the other hand, submitted that the deceased had neither concealed any disease nor was having any symptom or existence of any such disease. He died due to cardio respiratory arrest and infection.

The forum said the claim of the complainant for the recovery of policy amount from the insurance company was wrongly and illegally rejected.

Even the confidential report given to a doctor at the time of taking the policy did not mention any pre-existing disease as such. The onus to prove that the deceased had suppressed the facts was on the insurance company after the lapse of two years from the date of issuance of policy which it failed to discharge by leading any evidence, said the forum. Accordingly, it had to be held that there was no suppression of facts at the time of taking of the policy in 2003, added the forum. As far as the second ground that the claim had become legally time barred was concerned, the same fell flat as the claim had been presented within a period of three years as required, observed the forum.

Panchkula, December 7
The police today claimed to have apprehended Khushprit Singh, alias Dimple, a robbery accused. The accused, a resident of Banud, Patiala district, was at large, while two of his accomplices had been nabbed on the spot. The incident dates back to the night of November 4, when Sham Lal and Prem Swarup of Sector 12-A were returning from their shop in Zirakpur. They were waylaid by three persons, who robbed them of Rs 23,000.

However, after committing the crime, their motorcycle rammed into a cart, leaving two of them injured. They were later arrested from the crime scene. Their third accomplice, however, managed to flee.

A .315 bore revolver with a live cartridge and Rs 23,000 in cash were also recovered from the accused, identified as Sarbjit Singh, alias Sabi, a resident of Preet Colony, and Vikramjit Singh, alias Vicky.

Today the accused was produced in the court, which sent him to a three-day police custody.

Chandigarh, December 7
Both teams (A and B) of Sacred Heart school, Sector 26, faced defeat against the DAV Club and Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 22, respectively in the league stage of the ongoing Chandigarh State Junior Girls Football Championship for Kampania trophy, being played at Football Stadium, Sector 17, here today.

In the first match, DAV Club, Sector 8, drubbed the A team of the school by 2-1.

Sacred Heart were quick to open their account and mount pressure in the fourth minute through international player Tanvi Bhargava after she edged past defender Kishmita.

But Jashpreet for DAV scored the leveler after taking full advantage of the awarded free-kick.

After the breather, Jashpreet struck again and scored the winning goal for the DAV outfits.

In another match, team of Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 22, defeated Sacred Heart (B) by 2-0.

Anjali led the team to victory after scoring in the seventh and 10th minute of the game. However, the second half of the game was dry of goals.

Chandigarh, December 7
Teams of St Kabir School, St Xavier’s School, Sector 44, St Joseph’s School, Sector 44, and New Public School, Sector 18, began their campaign with impressive victories during the Inter-School Basketball Championship for St Kabir Trophy, being held here today.

In the first match, Abhishek (10) and Amit (17) helped the New Public School to beat Tender Heart School, Sector 33, by 39-36 points. In the second match, St Joseph’s School, Sector 44, fought hard to defeat Guru Nanak Public School, Sector 36, by 33-30.

Duo Dikshant (9) and Jaskaran (8) scored for St Joseph School while Simrandeep (21) and Jeevanvir (5) were the principal scorers for GNPS-36.

Results

St Kabir School bt DAV Model School, Sector 15, by 29-9 (Ritik 13 points and Garv 13 points, for DAV- Soorav 6 points and Shashank 2 points); St Xavier’s School, Sector 44, bt Vivek High School, Sector 38, by 34-20 (Kunal 9 points and Sumeet 8 points, for Vivek School- Aditya 6 points and Anirudh 4 points).

Chandigarh, December 7
Boys team of New Public School, Sector 18, and girls team of Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Sector 20, won their respective finals to win the title of Col. Balraj Singh Memorial basketball tournament for Boys and Girls, that concluded at New Public School, Sector 18, here today.

In the final matches, the host team (boys) routed Little Flower Convent School, Sector14, Panchkula, by 42-22.

The winning side had a grip from the first quarter of the game as they won first two quarters by 14-6 and 14 -4 respectively.

Little Flower school gave their best to come back in the match but again lost in the third quarter by 8-2 while the team managed to register a win in the fourth quarter by 6-10. For the wining side, Parvesh (14 points) was the main scorer while Sajal scored 9 points for Little Flower school.

In the final of girls’ category, Guru Nanak Public School, Sector 36, failed to overcome Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Sector 20, and lost the match by 29-31.

The winning side won the first three quarters by 6-9, 6-8 and 4-8 while they lost the fourth set by 13-6. Divya with her 12-points contribution guided the team to victory while Amrit (12 points) reduced the margin for the rivals.

For giving his best performance, Amit of New Public School, Sector 18, was declared the best player of the tournament while Divya of Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Sector 20, bagged the best player title in the girls’ category.