The Supreme Court of India has finally put an end to a nearly two-decade-long legal battle surrounding the tragic death of a mother and her newborn in Chandigarh. On Tuesday, a bench headed by Justice Sanjay Kumar and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma allowed the appeal filed by Deep Nursing Home and its obstetrician, Dr. Kanwarjit Kochhar, overturning earlier findings of medical negligence.
Background
The case dates back to December 2005, when Charanpreet Kaur, a 32-year-old cooperative bank manager, was admitted to Deep Nursing Home for delivery. Her newborn child died shortly after birth, and within hours, she too passed away while being shifted to PGI Chandigarh.
Her husband, Manmeet Singh Mattewal, alleged that the nursing home was ill-equipped to handle emergencies and failed to provide timely treatment, particularly in arranging blood transfusion. He filed a consumer complaint in 2006 seeking compensation of over ₹95 lakh.
The State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (SCDRC) initially held the doctor and the nursing home guilty of negligence, awarding ₹20.26 lakh as compensation. On appeal, the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) modified the order in 2012, pinning liability solely on Dr. Kochhar for alleged lapses in antenatal care.
Court’s Observations
The Supreme Court, however, took a different view. It noted that five separate medical boards had examined the case over the years, most at the request of the complainant himself, and none had found evidence of gross negligence.
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“The opinions of these expert committees tilted the balance in favour of Dr. Kochhar,” the bench remarked, adding that courts and consumer fora cannot substitute their own judgment for that of medical experts.
The judges also criticised the NCDRC for stepping beyond the original complaint. “The NCDRC clearly erred in building up a new case on behalf of the complainants,” the Court said, stressing that the complaint was only about post-delivery treatment, not antenatal care.
Decision
In its final ruling, the Supreme Court set aside both the SCDRC and NCDRC orders, dismissing the original complaint entirely. It also directed Manmeet Singh Mattewal to refund ₹10 lakh already received during the litigation. The amount must be returned in monthly instalments of ₹1 lakh—₹3 lakh to New India Assurance Company and the remaining ₹7 lakh to Dr. Kanwarjit and Dr. G.S. Kochhar.
With this, the Court closed a 19-year chapter, absolving the nursing home and its doctors of negligence and bringing finality to a case that had lingered in the system far too long.
Case Title: Deep Nursing Home & Dr. Kanwarjit Kochhar vs. Manmeet Singh Mattewal & Others (2025 SC)
Case Type: Civil Appeal (Consumer Dispute – Alleged Medical Negligence)
Appellants: Deep Nursing Home, Chandigarh & Dr. Kanwarjit Kochhar
Respondents: Manmeet Singh Mattewal (husband of deceased) & others
Date of Judgment: 9 September 2025
