Kolkata: A 64-year-old woman was finally released on Thursday afternoon from a private hospital at Salt Lake after three long months, following Calcutta High Court's intervention.
The hospital authorities didn't release the woman despite being advised by the doctors, as her elderly husband couldn't clear a part of the bill and wanted to give post-dated cheques.
Bandana Bagchi, a resident of Biddhangar North, was admitted to Columbia Asia Hospital on December 13 with chest pain.
Doctors had told her husband that it could be due to the pacemaker installed in her body. After undergoing treatment for 13 days, the doctors advised hospital authorities to release the patient. The bill by that time was around Rs 3.5 lakh.
Her husband, Subir Bagchi, cleared Rs 1.10 lakh and wanted to give posted-dated cheques to clear the remaining part of the bill. The hospital authorities were not ready to accept the same.
As a result, the aged person approached the police. He continued visiting the police station almost every day, seeking help in making the hospital authorities release his wife.
Finding no other way out, the man moved to the High Court on February 12, pleading intervention in this connection.
The Court on Thursday directed the counsel of the hospital to release Bandana by 2 pm and to inform the Court.
The hospital's counsel informed the Court that she has been released. The Court has also directed the hospital to move to the concerned forum in connection with the payment of the bill.