Madhya Pradesh: HC asks medical student to serve at community health centre as bail condition

A medical student in Madhya Pradesh has been directed by High Court to provide her services at a district hospital or a community health centre every alternate Sunday for one year, as a condition for bail.

While hearing a petition under Section 482 of the Criminal Procedure Code 1973 preferred by a medical student, seeking changes in one of the bail conditions imposed by another court, the Gwalior Bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court has asked the student to provide her services at a district hospital or community health centre every alternate Sunday for one year.

A division bench of Justices GS Ahluwalia and Anand Pathak said, "The petitioner as a Shiksha Swayamsevak shall render physical and financial assistance to government primary school situated nearest to residence of petitioner for ensuring hygiene and sanitation and for removing deficiencies of infrastructural amenities in the said school from the skill/resources of the petitioner," as reported by Bar and Bench.

In response to this order, the petitioner moved an application expressing her fear to fulfil the above direction because of the ongoing Covid-19 condition. She informed the court that she wants to render her services to the community health centre with suitable modifications to the earlier condition.

She also submitted that since the schools are running through an online mode, it is not appropriate for her to move close to school as there exists a chance of an outbreak of Covid-19 infection.

Additional Solicitor General of India Praveen Newaskar, appearing for CBI, has said that if the applicant is really interested to provide her services as per the court's direction, she, being a medical student of post-graduation, can perform community service in any community health centre in her vicinity.

After the submission from both the parties, the court has said the following,

1. "Petitioner shall visit every alternate Sunday to P.C. Sethi Distt. Hospital, Opp. G.P.O., Indore or Community Health Center at Mangliya, Distt. Indore wherever she desires to do and shall perform her duties as General Practitioner and if required, she will assist Specialist/Ophthalmologist of the said Center by tendering her services. Chief Medical and Health Officer/Civil Surgeon, Indore shall permit her to do so.
2. The petitioner shall perform this community service on every alternate Sunday between 10 am to 2 pm and this shall continue for one year or till she completes her Post Graduation course in Ophthalmology, whichever is earlier. She shall not be a source of infection or discomfort to any patient in any manner during her stint in Community Service. It is expected that petitioner shall seriously perform her services to purge her misdeeds if any and to serve national/social cause without any fail and she will submit the report every third month before this Court for perusal."

The court has also said that if the applicant in pursuance of her post-graduation course needs to perform any emergency service on Sunday, then she would be exempted to provide her services to community service for that Sunday, but she will have to compensate that by providing her services on another day or adjust her duties accordingly.

Read more:

• Expeditiously forward NEET exemption Bill to President says TN govt to Governor
• Maharashtra's private medical college loses its recognition for MBBS seats; NMC orders re-inspection