Chandigarh: In a major development, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has put an interim stay on the proceedings of a newly constituted medical board in the death case of Jalandhar-based bodybuilder Varinder Ghuman.
A bench of Justice Subhash Mehla questioned the Punjab government over the need for a second medical board when the first panel had already confirmed medical negligence. The court has sought a response from the state government by May 19, 2026.
The case pertains to Ghuman’s death during a routine surgery at a Fortis Hospital in Amritsar. The victim’s family has alleged that the health department ordered a fresh probe to shield influential hospital authorities and the accused doctors.
Petitioner Bhupinder Singh, through counsel Mehar Sachdeva, challenged the formation of the second medical board in the High Court. The plea argued that once a seven-member board had already found doctors guilty, the health director had no legal authority to constitute another panel.
The matter has now taken a legal turn, with the court examining the validity of the government’s decision to order a fresh medical review.
