Bengaluru: A woman of Malaysian origin, who was forcefully admitted to a mental hospital, has finally been set free by the Karnataka High Court.
R Kalai Selvi was admitted to the Dharwad Institute of Mental Health and Neurological Science (DIMHANS) by her business partner and had moved court seeking her discharge.
Upon hearing Selvi’s appeal, the court learned that her mental health was absolutely fine and she was admitted against her consent. Selvi has filed a complaint against the director and four staff of DIMHANS for declaring her mentally ill, admitting her and torturing her.
Selvi came to India two decades ago and resided in Chennai since then. She started a cosmetic and herbal products company with Sundar Rajan R, who is also a resident of Chennai. After learning that Selvi has lot of money, Sundar Rajan allegedly tried to take her money, properties and all the belongings. In a bid to loot her, he made her consume narcotics without her knowledge and got her admitted to DIMHANS in Karnataka.
DIMHANS director Dr Mahesh Desai and other staff members declared her mentally ill. She was admitted in hospital for a year and half. Allegedly, Selvi tried to meet her friends and family, but she was not allowed to see any visitor ever since she was admitted. But somehow she managed to contact an advocate recently and explained him about the situation she was pushed into.
Once the case was taken to the high court, it ordered a thorough mental health checkup for Selvi. It was found that her claims of being mentally healthy were true. The court ordered Selvi’s discharge from DIMHANS.
After being discharged Selvi has filed complaint in Hubli Suburban police against Sundar Rajan, Vikram of Hubli, Dimhans director Dr Mahesh Desai, Dr Raghavendra Naik and Dr Ranganath Kulkarni.
Selvi has said in her complaint that she was in a perfectly healthy state of mind. Yet, she was kept at Dimhans, with the staff and the directors saying that she needed treatment.
DIMHANS Director Dr Mahesh Desai denied the allegations and told News18, “Hospital staff were fulfilling their duty well. The hospital had treated thousands of people but no patient had any complaints about their treatment so far. We have informed about this case with Hubli and Dharwad police commissioner and with the state government. Staff decided to protest, but we have requested them to continue the treatment of patients.”
After an FIR was registered in the case, hospital staff wore black bands in protest against the allegation.
Speaking to News18, Selvi’s advocate AR Patil said that there are many such people who are pushed into mental health hospital due to vested interests. “All of them should earn their freedom back and atrocity in the name of treatment should end,” he added.
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