JUDGEMENT
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(1.) THE petitioner was retired from the post of Health Assistant on 31.05.2008. The petitioner while in service suffered from
Cardiac disease and on account of said disease, she initially was
admitted at Govt. Hospital, Pali. However, looking to the seriousness
of her ailment, she was referred to Mathura Das Mathur Hospital,
Jodhpur on 07.06.2009. The petitioner was thereafter was referred to
higher centre and thereafter she under went major heart surgery of
replacement of valve at Escort Fortis Hospital, Noida, and incurred
medical expenses to the tune of Rs.2,48,933.36 paid by her to said
approved Hospital i.e. Escort Fortis Hospital, Noida for her treatment
of surgery of replacement of valve in the heart.
(2.) THE petitioner submitted an application before the District Reproductive and Child Health Officer, Pali along -with which she
submitted the bills, receipt and certificate for reimbursement given by
the concerned doctor. Thereafter, the application was forwarded to
the Director, Directorate Medical and Health Services, Jaipur. The
claim for reimbursement of the petitioner under the Rajasthan Civil
Services (Medical Attendance) Rules, 1970 (Rules of 1970, for short)
was, however, not sanctioned by the respondents. The petitioner
served a legal notice (Annex.8) dated 17.03.2009 through her
counsel. Thereafter, vide the letter dated 26.03.2009 (Annex.9)
issued by the District Reproductive and Child officer, Pali, the
petitioner was asked to furnish certain information for making
payment to her although all the relevant bills and other certificate
were submitted by the petitioner. Therefore, the petitioner
approached this Court by way of present writ petition which was filed
by her on 13.04.2009.
Ms. Shobha Kunwar, appearing on behalf of Mr. Sajjan Singh, learned counsel for the petitioner has urged that, in an
emergency, if the Government servant takes the treatment outside
the State of Rajasthan, the Rules 6 and 7 of the Rules of 1970 govern
the case and while the petitioner was outside the State of Rajasthan,
she suffered the heart ailment, and upon being referred to higher
centre, in an emergency she was taken to the hospital, which is
admittedly approved hospital by the State of Rajasthan i.e. Escort
Fortis Hospital, Noida, and she was provided medical treatment
there. On account of non -payment of the medical expenses incurred
by the petitioner, she has filed the present writ petition in this Court
on 13.04.2009. She also relied upon the recent judgment of this Court
in the case of Jawahar Lal Bohra Vs. State of Rajasthan & Ors.
(SBCWP No.6350/2005, decided on 26.03.2014) and in the case of
Smt. Usha Mehta Vs. State of Rajasthan and ors. (SBCWP
No.6401/2006, decided on 26.03.2014). She, therefore, submitted
that reimbursement of the medical expenditure incurred by the
petitioner deserves to be reimbursed to the petitioner.
(3.) ON the other hand, Mr. Anil Bissa, learned Govt. Counsel urged that despite the fact the petitioner was asked to furnish certain
information, she failed to furnish the same, therefore, the petitioner's
case for reimbursement of the medical expenses could not be
processed. He also submitted that the petitioner had taken her
treatment at a private hospital though she was referred to S.M.S.
Hospital, Jaipur, however, instead of taking treatment at S.M.S.
Hospital, Jaipur, the petitioner was treated at private hospital, which
he fairly admitted that the same is approved hospital, and, therefore,
expenditure incurred by the petitioner cannot be reimbursed for want
of certain information on the part of the petitioner.;