Jagadish and Kiran Sharma say a Mumbai hospital refused to accept old 500 and 1,000 notes.
Highlights
- Couple was denied baby's treatment; hospital didn't accept banned notes
- The child died on Thursday after struggling with high fever
- Father has written a letter to police demanding action against hospital
For Jagadish and Kiran Sharma, residents of Mumbai's Govandi area, the effect of the government's radical move to withdraw 500 and 1,000 rupee notes from circulation, has not just been bothersome but utterly devastating.
The couple lost their newborn baby after allegedly being turned away by a private hospital in Govandi just because they did not have enough usable cash to make the deposit.
Kiran went into labour at her home on Wednesday just minutes before her husband could manage transport to take her to the Jeevan Jyot Hospital and nursing home, which the couple have been visiting regularly for the last six months for check-ups.
But the hospital turned them away after they requested to make a part of the deposit worth Rs 6,000 in denominations of 500 and 1,000 rupee notes, Jagadish said.
"I requested them again and again, even telling them that the government has directed hospitals to accept 500 and 1000 rupee notes for a few more days but they refused to hear us out," said Jagadish Sharma.
Unable to obtain even the file of their child, the Sharmas claim they couldn't admit their baby to another hospital.
Their child died on Thursday after struggling with high fever.
The infant's father has now written a letter to the police demanding strong action against the hospital authorities.
Police said they are filing a First Information Report or FIR against the hospital.
The hospital however has rubbished the family's claims, calling them 'totally false and fabricated'.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday evening announced that Rs 500 and 1000 notes were being discontinued from midnight as part of the government's fight against black money.