Two women petition Supreme Court over their missing mother

As the issue involves two states – Delhi and Bihar--a bench of justices Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud and Surya Kant sought responses from the Delhi Police Commissioner, Delhi government, Bihar government, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital and station house officer (SHO) of Delhi’s Rajendra Nagar police station

The Supreme Courtlast week issued a notice on a petition filed by two women seeking the whereabouts of their mother, who is a resident of Muzaffarpur (Bihar) but was brought to Delhi’s Sir Ganga Ram Hospital for treatment last month and went missing on February 26 when she was allegedly moved to an undisclosed location by their brother.

The court initially was hesitant to issue a notice as it realised that the brother and mother of the petitioners are residents of Bihar. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

As the issue involves two states – Delhi and Bihar--a bench of justices Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud and Surya Kant sought responses from the Delhi Police Commissioner, Delhi government, Bihar government, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital and station house officer (SHO) of Delhi’s Rajendra Nagar police station, where the two women, Pushpa Tiwari and Gayatri Kumar, filed a complaint after their brother allegedly beat them up and did not allow them to meet their mother when they visited the hospital on February 26.

Eighty-nine-year-old Vaidehi Singh suffers from Alzheimer’s disease and is not capable of taking any decision on her own, said advocates Manish Kumar Saran and Satya Prakash Sharan appearing for the petitioners. “We are in a fix which court to move, as we are not aware where our mother is,” they submitted.

The court initially was hesitant to issue a notice as it realised that the brother and mother of the petitioners are residents of Bihar. “In all such matters, high court is better equipped to deal with what order is to be passed. If Supreme Court starts getting into such nitty-gritty, there will be no end.”

The petitioners, however, said they feared that their mother could have been taken to Uttar Pradesh.

“How a roving warrant can be issued,” asked the bench.

The petitioners pointed out that they suspected foul play as the hospital allowed the patient to be discharged the same day they complained to the Delhi Police regarding the violence they faced at the hospital.

The petitioners told the court that they were concerned their brother and his family may “deliberately not provide proper care and medical treatment” leading to her untimely death so that “all her property and wealth in her name comes to them”.

The petition claimed that their mother has property and jewellery worth crores of rupees. “The respondent (brother) and his family members have forcefully and deceptively got certain documents executed in their favour and to their advantage from the mother of the petitioners who is an Alzheimer’s patient and is incapable of executing her acts within her senses and understanding,” the petitioners said.

The court also issued notice to the brother of the petitioners.

The matter has been posted for hearing next on March 28.