Hubby in coma, wife asks to be declared legal guardian
CHENNAI: A woman, whose husband is in comatose stage for over eight months, has moved the Madras High Court to declare her as his legal guardian.Justice T Raja, before whom the writ petition from S Hamsavathy Varalakshmi came up for hearing last week, directed the Rajiv Gandhi Government Medical College Hospital Dean to depute a civil surgeon to inspect the patient at his residence at R A Puram and file a report. The Mylapore Tahsildar should accompany him, the judge said.
According to petitioner, her husband Sekaran, while on a religious trip to Sabarimala, fainted and subsequently developed fever and cough. He was admitted in a private hospital in Chennai on December 3, 2016. However, his health condition deteriorated and he showed no improvement. After prolonged treatment, doctors issued a certificate on April 4 last stating that he was in a comatose stage for the past six months and was totally paralysed. Sekaran and 11 others had already appointed Sree Krishna Foundations as their power-of-attorney to handle the business activities. However, the PoA also died on March 10 last. Hence, the present petition.
Petitioners’ counsel W Richardson submitted that if Hamsawathy is not appointed as a legal guardian, she will be put to grave and irreparable loss. He prayed for a directive to the Health Secretary, Chennai Collector, Mylapore Tahsildar and the Commercial Taxes secretary to recognise her as the legal guardian.
The matter will be taken up again on July 19.