In a significant ruling regarding medical negligence, the Bombay High Court has ordered the registration of a case against a doctor involved in a fatal surgery performed under mobile phone torchlight 12 years ago. The incident dates back to 2012 at the Sushma Swaraj Maternity Home in Mumbai, where a C-section was conducted during a power outage using only mobile phone flashlights. Tragically, both the mother and the newborn died shortly after the procedure.

The victim’s husband, Khusruddin Ansari, filed a petition alleging that the hospital lacked a power backup or generator, and the surgical team proceeded with the high-risk operation in near darkness. This led to severe complications and uncontrollable bleeding, resulting in the double tragedy. After a decade-long struggle for justice, the division bench of Justice Revati Mohite Dere and Justice Prithviraj Chavan slammed the administration for the delay and ordered immediate legal proceedings.

The court observed that performing a major surgery under such primitive conditions is a gross violation of medical ethics and safety protocols. The bench has directed a senior official of the hospital to appear in court this Wednesday to explain the lack of infrastructure and the subsequent administrative silence for 12 years. This order serves as a stern warning against medical negligence and offers a ray of hope to the grieving family after more than a decade.