New Delhi [India], January 5 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Friday asked the office of Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena to file an affidavit on a plea of the AAP government seeking the release of funds for its ‘Farishtey Dilli Ke’ scheme providing free treatment to accident victims.
A bench of Justices BR Gavai and Sandeep Mehta asked LG to file an affidavit in two weeks.
The direction of the apex court came after senior advocate Sanjay Jain, representing LG, submitted that the office of LG was not involved in the matter.
“It is not a matter where there was an issue between the Council of Ministers and LG. LG is not involved in any manner,” Jain said.
The scheme is run by a society headed by the Delhi Health Minister. “It was the health minister who conducted a meeting on January 2 and released the funds,” Jain said.
“File an affidavit to this effect. If we find the Minister has taken us for a ride, we will impose an exemplary cost,” said the bench.
As the hearing began, the bench was informed that LG had not filed his response to the petition yet. To this, the bench said, “Ask your LG not to make every issue a prestige issue.”
To this, Jain replied that this petition is a classic case of “a storm in a teacup, as it was much ado about nothing.”
The ‘Farishte Dilli Ke’ scheme of the Delhi government uses fiscal and non-fiscal incentives to encourage citizens to help victims of road accidents, thermal burns and acid attacks without the fear of legal hassle or police inquiry.
Under this scheme, the victims get cashless treatment at any registered public or private nursing home or hospital across Delhi and those who bring in the victims also get an appreciation amount of Rs 2,000 from the Delhi government.
The Health Minister of Delhi had named two IAS officers and alleged that the two officers conspired to delay or stop payments to private hospitals.
The Delhi government had stated in its plea that with the enactment of the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Act, 2023, ‘services’ fall under the jurisdiction of the LG and using this power, the said scheme was sought to be frustrated.
