Farishtey scheme: SC tells LG to clear stand

The Supreme Court on Friday asked Delhi lieutenant governor VK Saxena to make his stand clear on the stoppage of funds for the Delhi government's Farishtey scheme, which promises free medical treatment for road accident victims, and said that exemplary cost will be imposed if it is found that the court was taken for a ride in the case.

The court was hearing a petition filed by the Delhi government against the LG alleging that due to stoppage of funds for the scheme for the past one year, unpaid dues of 27.17 crore payable to private hospitals had mounted. The bench asked the LG to file an affidavit in two weeks after senior advocate Sanjay Jain, representing the LG, submitted that LG's office was not involved in the matter. 

On December top court issued notice on the petition and sought a response from the LG after being told that the Farishtey scheme launched in 2018, which benefitted approximately 23,000 road accident victims, required to be re-operationalised.

The bench of justices BR Gavai and Sandeep Mehta asked the LG to file an affidavit in two weeks after senior advocate Sanjay Jain, representing the LG, submitted that the LG's office was not involved in the matter.