Escort woman to home from hosp: HC to cops

Kolkata: The Calcutta HC on Tuesday directed police to escort a disabled woman back to her home by May 21 after her husband refused to take her back despite the court waiving hospital dues exceeding Rs 1 crore.The woman had been admitted to Apollo hospitals in Sept 2021 following a two-wheeler accident. Her husband allegedly paid only Rs 15,000 before abandoning her at the hospital. After the hospital approached the HC, the husband claimed he lacked the financial means to clear the bill.On May 8, the court ordered the hospital to release the woman without payment and directed the husband to take her home. However, he later appealed, saying he could not care for his wife, who is in a "vegetative" state, and sought her transfer to a state shelter.Rejecting the plea, the division bench observed that allowing such abandonment could set a dangerous precedent. Police will oversee her transfer, while Calcutta Medical College will provide medical support twice a week.