‘Don’t shoot the messengers’: Supreme Court tells Delhi govt over action against doctors, healthcare workers

The Delhi government has been asked to file a better affidavit by Friday on this aspect on whether they have reinstated those doctors who were dismissed.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday made strong observations against the Delhi government for taking action against doctors and health workers, who it said acted as messengers in bringing out the real picture in government-run hospitals in the Capital.

Advocates outside the Supreme Court wearing protective masks as a precautionary measure amid coronavirus pandemic.(Raj K Raj/HT PHOTO)

“Don’t shoot the messengers. You stop registering FIRs against doctors fighting this war against Covid,” a bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan said.

The Delhi government has been asked to file a better affidavit by Friday on this aspect on whether they have reinstated those doctors who were dismissed, withdrawn first information reports (FIRs) against doctors and payment of salaries to medical workers.

The order came in a suo moto proceeding with regard to disposal of dead bodies and poor facilities in government hospitals in the national capital taken up last week.

The top court had invited status reports particularly from Delhi, Maharashtra, Gujarat, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.

The report of other states will also be taken up on Friday.