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In the case of an 82-years-old covid patient having gone missing from a Hospital in Prayagraj in May 2021, the Allahabad High Court, taking a serious view, has directed the authorities to produce the man on the next date i.e. April 25. Court warned the authorities of exemplary costs upon failure. 

The bench of Justice Surya Prakash Kesarwani and Justice Jayant Banerji noted that despite several opportunities having been given to the authorities to produce the missing man, they failed. Court said, 

"Till date, the respondents have not produced the corpus although about 11 months have passed. Under the circumstances, this Court takes a serious view of the matter and directs the respondents to produce the corpus Ram Lal Yadav on the next date fixed, failing which this Court may consider to call for personal presence of all the concerned respondents and may also consider to impose exemplary costs considering the facts and circumstances of the case."

The matter before the court involved a Habeas Corpus plea seeking the release of an 82 years old elderly man from the custody of TB Sapru Hospital in Prayagraj, where he was admitted for treatment of Covid-19 but allegedly went missing.

Since the authorities were not producing the man, therefore, his son Rahul Yadav had filed the present habeas corpus writ petition, which was heard on several occasions.

Court noted that as per the personal affidavit of Senior Superintendent of Police, District Prayagraj filed on December 27, 2021 shows that the man was 82 years old and on May 7, 2021 his oxygen level fell down to 68% and was shifted from New Emergency Ward to Trauma Centre of Tej Bahadur Sapru Hospital and information to this effect was given to his son Rahul Yadav, however, the man was neither discharged nor was handed over to his son or any family members.

The case is listed to be next heard on April 25, 2021. 

Case Title: Rahul Yadav v. State Of U.P. And 4 Others