SC Orders Ghaziabad Hospitals to Pay Rs 12L to 4-Year-Old Rape Victim's Family

NEW DELHI — The Supreme Court on Friday pulled up two private hospitals in Ghaziabad for allegedly refusing to treat a four-year-old rape and murder victim, ordering them to pay a total compensation of Rs 12 lakh to the child's family.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V Mohana directed St Joseph Hospital to pay Rs 10 lakh and Khajan Singh Manvi Healthcare to pay Rs 2 lakh within four weeks to the victim's family.

The top court announced that it would also frame guidelines for hospitals and the police on handling victims of heinous crimes. Observing that clear directions were necessary, the bench invited suggestions from the amicus curiae on addressing the gap between the existing legal framework and its implementation.

The matter stems from the sexual assault of the four-year-old girl on March 16, 2026. According to the case, the child was allegedly lured away by a neighbour with the promise of chocolate and was later found unconscious and bleeding in a field behind a school.

Senior Advocate Hariharan submitted to the apex court that the child survived for five hours following the assault. He argued that both hospitals possessed the necessary facilities, yet they refused admission and transferred her without providing even basic medical care such as a blood transfusion. Pointing out the critical importance of immediate treatment, Hariharan noted that while heart attack victims benefit from the "golden hour," the four-year-old child was denied emergency care.