HC orders unsealing of Erode hospital accused in oocyte sale racket

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Thursday ordered to remove the lock and seal from the scanning devices and medical equipment of a private hospital in Erode, which was reportedly involved in the offense of harvesting the oocytes of a minor girl violating laws and ICMR rules.

Justice Abdul Quddhose passed the direction on hearing the plea filed by Sudha Hospital, Erode. The petitioner hospital sought a direction to quash the proceedings initiated by the Tamil Nadu Health and Family Welfare Department.

Recording their submissions, the judge observed that the government should have conducted an inquiry and if there was any prima facie evidence against the hospital, then only the government can suspend the license of the hospital. “However, the government had not clearly indicated the reason for suspending the license/registration of the hospital,” the judge observed while quashing the order of the state to suspend the license.

The court directed the state to remove the seal from the scanning devices and other medical equipment of the hospital. The judge directed the Health Department to pass an appropriate order within 12 weeks, after conducting a proper inquiry by granting adequate time to the hospital to submit their response. The petitioner hospital submitted that the action has been taken without giving any time to submit their response, which is against natural justice.