Criminal Misc. No.29052 of 2008 -1- **** IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Criminal Misc. No.29052 of 2008 Date of decision : 6.11.2008 Gurmeet Singh .....Petitioner Versus State of Punjab and others ..Respondents CORAM : HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S. D. ANAND Present: Mr. S.S.Sodhi, Advocate for the petitioner. S. D. ANAND, J. The petitioner, a former police official undergoing life imprisonment for an offence under Section 302 IPC, is presently on parole and he is due to surrender on 11.11.2008. The petitioner-prisoner has applied for the extension of the parole period on the plea that he has been advised rest for a period of seven days and a number of indicated tests have also to be undergone by him at the Fortis Hospital in connection with a heart treatment which he is under going for opening of blockage in the heart. The further averment is that petitioner may have to ultimate undergo by- pass surgery, a final decision regarding which would not be possible without the petitioner having undergone Angiography. Notice of motion. On the asking of the Court, Ms. Manjari Nehru, Deputy Advocate General, Punjab accepts notice on behalf of the respondents., Though the State is under a constitutional obligation to provide medicare facilities to all the citizens, the duty becomes more onerous when the person requiring medicare is a convict and is incarcerated in a Criminal Misc. No.29052 of 2008 -2- **** jail. I put it to the learned counsel for the petitioner if he would like to indicate any hospital of his choice where the petitioner could have treatment for the indicated ailment (after surrender on 11.11.2008). He insisted that petitioner would like to have it on his own and not under the care of the State. In the light of the fore-going discussion, the plea for extension of parole is held to be denuded of merit and shall stand rejected. However, the respondents (all of them) shall ensure that the petitioner receives the best possible treatment for the indicated ailment. Efforts should be made in the first instance to get him treated at Fortis Hospital which is a reputed Medical Institution and a choice of the petitioner-prisoner. If, for any administrative reason, it does not appear feasible to get him treated at that hospital, he should be got treated at the PGI, Chandigarh. Disposed of accordingly. November 06, 2008 (S. D. ANAND) Pka JUDGE