HC gives time to Centre and Delhi govt to reply to plea for CBI probe

New Delhi The Delhi High Court Monday granted additional time of six weeks to the Centre and Delhi government to file replies on a plea seeking CBI probe into the death of 21 COVID-19 patients at Jaipur Golden Hospital here in April allegedly due to oxygen shortageThe court which was hearing the plea filed by the families of some patients who died on the intervening night of April 23 and 24 also permitted the petitioners to file a rejoinder to the governments responsesBy that time things will be clearer We will see You have approached the MM Metropolitan Magistrate also said Justice Rekha Palli as the matter was listed for further hearing on December 9Senior advocate Rahul Mehra and standing counsel Kiritman Singh appearing for Delhi government and the Centre respectively sought to file their responses to the petitionThe aspect of criminal investigation was pending consideration before a magisterial court Mehra said Advocate Utsav Bains appearing for the petitioners said that the aggrieved families before the high court and the magisterial court were not the same Singh said the Supreme Court was also seized of the issue of granting ex gratia compensationFile your counter Im not passing any interim order anyway the judge saidOn June 4 the court had issued notice to the Centre and Delhi government on the plea which contended that the cause of death of the patients was respiratory failure due to insufficient supply of oxygen and not comorbidities as stated by a Delhi government committee in its report The petitioners claimed that the committee came out with an erroneous report that those who died did not suffer suffocation due to lack of oxygen supplyThe petition thus sought quashing of the committees report and a direction for a probe by CBI or an independent agency into the deaths so that the truth can be brought to light and justice be given to the deceased persons and their families and they be provided compensation