The Bombay High Court on Wednesday asked Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) to deposit Rs five lakh with the registrar general of the court in the Sion Hospital missing baby case.
The Bombay High Court on Wednesday asked Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) to deposit Rs five lakh with the registrar general of the court in the Sion Hospital missing baby case.
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Court's direction came after Municipal Commissioner Jairaj Phatak denied the responsibility to pay compensation in affidavit.
The registrar will invest the amount in fixed deposit and monthly interest will be paid to Mohan and Mohini Nerurkar, whose baby-boy was stolen from government-run Sion Hospital on January 1.
Nerurkars moved High Court after police failed in tracing the unidentified woman, who stole the two-day-old boy.
Earlier, division bench of Justices Bilal Nazki and AR Joshi had asked how much compensation the corporation was ready to pay to the parents for the lax security at hospital.
Phatak has said in the affidavit filed today that corporation was not liable to pay as such a precedent will encourage bogus thefts of children.
"Precedent of payment of compensation can encourage consensual temporary thefts through friends or relatives with a view to claim compensation," affidavit said.
It also said that if MCGM is liable to pay for child's theft, then "by the same logic" it will be liable to pay for thefts of watches or cell phones too.
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