M.T.N.L. Vs. S.R. SINGH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This Revision Petition has been filed by the Petitioner against the order dated 10.07.2008 of State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Delhi (in short 'State Commission') passed in First Appeal No.182 of 2007.

(2.) Case of the Complainants/Respondents is that respondent (since deceased) was an employee of the Petitioner/Opposite Party and retired from the post of Deputy Manager in the year 2001. He and his wife were covered under the Medical Reimbursement Scheme of the Petitioner/Opposite Party. His wife, who had already lost one eye, was taken to Centre for Sight on 18.12.2001, where she was advised emergency operation. Complainant was asked to deposit Rs.16,000/- and the surgery was conducted. He submitted the bills of Rs.16,000/- with the Opposite Party for reimbursement. The Opposite Party rejected the claim on the ground that the hospital where operation was conducted was not on the panel of the Opposite Party. Alleging deficiency on the part of the Opposite Party, the Complainant filed a Consumer Complaint before the District Forum.

(3.) The Complaint was contested by the Opposite Party on the ground that the hospital, where the operation of the wife of the Complainant was conducted, was not on the panel of the Opposite Party. Complainant was required to take his wife to a government hospital or to an empanelled hospital for treatment. Only on the reference of a Government hospital the patient could take his wife to the Centre for Sight. Since the Complainant had directly taken his wife to the hospital which was not empanelled, the Opposite Party was not liable to reimburse the amount incurred by the Complainant.