Vishal Yadav told to return govt money spent on hospital visits

The Delhi high court on Friday asked Vishal Yadav, convicted in the Nitish Katara murder case and serving life term along with his cousin Vikas Yadav, to return the money spent by the government on his security during his visits to hospitals from Tihar Jail on frivolous grounds. HT reports.

The Delhi high court on Friday asked Vishal Yadav, convicted in the Nitish Katara murder case and serving life term along with his cousin Vikas Yadav, to return the money spent by the government on his security during his visits to hospitals from Tihar Jail on frivolous grounds.

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A bench of justices Gita Mittal and VK Shali asked Vishal's counsel to seek instruction from his client on the issue and inform it by March 23, the next date of hearing.

"It was all taxpayers' money that the government has spent on your security during your visits to hospitals, including Batra Hospital. Let us see some bonafide," the bench said, while hearing a petition filed by Nitish's mother Neelam Katara.

The court also told the counsel that it would evaluate the total amount spent on Vishal after perusing the documents submitted by the jail authorities.

Referring to Tihar Jail report, Justice Mittal said it is evident that more than R16 lakh has been spent on security personnel who had accompanied the convict.

The bench also asked the jail authorities to submit the norms for prisoners, who were sent to hospitals other than Deen Dayal Upadhyay (DDU) and LNJP hospitals.

It has directed DDU and LNJP hospitals to file an affidavit, stating whether they had reviewed the health condition of Tihar patients before referring them to other hospitals.

With regard to Vikas, the court has sought an explanation from AIIMS as to why he had been shifted from 'B' to 'A' class facility while undergoing treatment in October 2011. It asked AIIMS to mention if such facility was earlier given to any other prisoner.