V Prasada Rao vs BHARAT SANCHAR NIGAM LIMITED

OA/1221/2024

CENTRAL ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL
HYDERABAD BENCH: HYDERABAD
Circuit Sitting at Vijayawada

OA/020/1221/2024

th
Dated: 16 day of October, 2026

Hon’ble Mr. Manish Garg, Judicial Member
Hon’ble Mr. Varun Sindhu Kul Kaumudi, Administrative Member

V. Prasada Rao, S/o. Lakshmi Narayana, Aged about 72 years,
Occ: Retired Assistant General Manager, BSNL,
R/o. 8-44/5, Mangamur Road, Ongole,
Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh-523001.
...Applicant


(By Advocate: Dr A Raghu Kumar)

Vs

1. Union of India rep by Secretary,
Department of Telecommunications,
20 Ashoka Road, New Delhi-110001.

2. The Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited
rep by Chairman cum Managing Director,
Bharat Sanchar Bhavan,
Harish Chandra Mathur Lane, Janpath, New Delhi - 110001.

3. The Chief General Manager,
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited, BSNL Bhavan,
AP Circle, Chuttugunta, Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh-520004.

4. The General Manager Telecom District,
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited,
Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh.

… Respondents

(By Advocate: Mrs. T Manjula, SC for BSNL)










Page 1 of 4

Digitally signed by MINHAJUL HAQUE
DN: C=IN, O=Central Administrative Tribunal, OU=CAT, PostalCode=
500004, L=Hyderabad, S=Telangana, STREET="No.5-10-193, 1st Floor,
Haca Bhavan Opp Public Garden Hyderabad 500004 Telangana", Phone=
89021942bba5cdba77c991a42bd3571c5dc23cb3d72e3189d6aba2a13fc102
MINHAJUL 8b, SERIALNUMBER=
96d7c8649eefeb7c816929f230ec4df80d1f07c03684484c7f3017fa336cfe1e,
[email protected], CN=MINHAJUL HAQUE
Reason: I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document
Location: Hyderabad
Date: 2026.10.28 10:45:22+05'30'
Foxit PDF Reader Version: 2024.3.0
HAQUE

OA/1221/2024

ORAL ORDER
(As per Hon’ble Mr. Manish Garg, Judicial Member)

By this O.A., the applicant is seeking the following relief:
“....to declare the inaction of the respondents in settling the
Medical Reimbursement Claim of the applicant for Indoor
Treatment for Rs.5,65,586/- (Rupees Five Lakhs Sixty Five
Thousand Five Eighty Six only) as illegal, arbitrary and violative
of Article 14 and 16 of the Constitution of India and law of the land
and consequently direct the respondents to release the Medical
Reimbursement Claim of the applicant forthwith with an interest @
of 12% PA, and be pleased to pass such other order or orders as
this Hon'ble Tribunal may deem fit and proper in the circumstances
of the case.”

2. Highlighting the facts of the case, counsel for the applicant submits that the
applicant joined the Department of Telecommunications as Telephone Operator on
30.07.1974, was promoted as Repeated Station Assistant, Junior Engineer, Sub-
Divisional Engineer and Assistant General Manager in 1980, 1982, 1998 & 2009,
respectively. He retired as Assistant General Manager on 31.05.2015 at Hyderabad. In
December, 2021, the applicant was diagnosed with Covid-19 and was admitted, on an
emergency basis, as an indoor patient at Dr. Rela Institute and Medical Care Centre,
Chennai, from 12.12.2021 to 27.12.2021. The applicant submitted the relevant bills,
reports, etc., vide letter, dt. 14.02.2022. The Respondents sought some more
documents, which were submitted by the applicant, vide letter, dt.05.07.2022.
However, the Respondents, vide letter, dt.27.10.2022, expressed their inability to
process the applicant’s claim due to non-submission of original certificates/ vouchers
for the claim of ₹5,65,586/-. Despite the applicant’s representation(s), dt.17.05.2024 &
15.07.2024, the claim of the applicant was not reimbursed. Hence, the O.A.
3. Respondents have filed a reply contending therein that the non-empanelled
medical bills submitted by the applicant, vide letter(s), dt. 18.02.2022 & 05.07.2022,
were unsubstantiated, i.e., the original cash receipts/ vouchers for the amount of
₹5,65,586/- were not enclosed. Another contention has been raised by the counsel for
the Respondents that the applicant was admitted under the medical insurance of
Page 2 of 4

Digitally signed by MINHAJUL HAQUE
DN: C=IN, O=Central Administrative Tribunal, OU=CAT, PostalCode=
500004, L=Hyderabad, S=Telangana, STREET="No.5-10-193, 1st Floor,
Haca Bhavan Opp Public Garden Hyderabad 500004 Telangana", Phone=
89021942bba5cdba77c991a42bd3571c5dc23cb3d72e3189d6aba2a13fc102
MINHAJUL 8b, SERIALNUMBER=
96d7c8649eefeb7c816929f230ec4df80d1f07c03684484c7f3017fa336cfe1e,
[email protected], CN=MINHAJUL HAQUE
Reason: I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document
Location: Hyderabad
Date: 2026.10.28 10:45:22+05'30'
Foxit PDF Reader Version: 2024.3.0
HAQUE

OA/1221/2024

MEDIASSIT INSURANCE TPA PVT LTD & the medical claims were addressed to
VIDAL HEALTH, TPA, Chennai, rather than the concerned employee.
4. In rejoinder to the arguments put forth by the counsel for the Respondents,
counsel for the applicant has drawn attention to the applicant’s representation, dt.
15.07.2024, which reads as under:
Kindly refer to the letters cited above, wherein I requested the reimbursement
of my indoor medical bill dated 14-02-2022. The amount still needs to be
reimbursed. I am 72, with many health problems like Hypertension, diabetes
and issues related to my heart. I am also suffering financially as the amount
still needs to be reimbursed. I am unable to meet day-to-day medical
expenditures.
Hence I once again request you Sir to kindly arrange the payment of the same
at an early date, as l am very much dependent on the amount at this age of 72
years with many ailments of myself and my wife and day-to-day requirements.

5. Having heard learned counsels for the parties and perused the records of the case,
we are of the view that the matter can be disposed of, by directing the Respondents to
expedite the claim of the applicant either directly verifying the bills vouchers from the
hospital itself or for the fact of the matter that his bills have already been processed in
furtherance of the communication from the hospital to the VIDAL HEALTH, TPA,
Chennai and not the employee.
6. Conclusion:
It can be safely assumed that the claim has to be settled either directly by
reimbursing to the hospital or through the concerned TPA, for which, only verification
of vouchers is required. We make it clear that Respondents can very well verify the
claim as the same are processed directly through hospital to the VIDAL HEALTH
TPA, and as per the existing policy, there is no embargo that the claims cannot be
verified by the Respondents of their own to the extent of admissible amount not paid to
the applicant by the Insurance company. Further, in view of judgment rendered by the
Hon’ble Apex Court in the matter of Shiva Kant Jha vs Union Of India on 13 April,
Page 3 of 4

Digitally signed by MINHAJUL HAQUE
DN: C=IN, O=Central Administrative Tribunal, OU=CAT, PostalCode=
500004, L=Hyderabad, S=Telangana, STREET="No.5-10-193, 1st Floor,
Haca Bhavan Opp Public Garden Hyderabad 500004 Telangana", Phone=
89021942bba5cdba77c991a42bd3571c5dc23cb3d72e3189d6aba2a13fc102
MINHAJUL 8b, SERIALNUMBER=
96d7c8649eefeb7c816929f230ec4df80d1f07c03684484c7f3017fa336cfe1e,
[email protected], CN=MINHAJUL HAQUE
Reason: I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document
Location: Hyderabad
Date: 2026.10.28 10:45:22+05'30'
Foxit PDF Reader Version: 2024.3.0
HAQUE

OA/1221/2024

2018 that the claim of medical reimbursement has to be settled and is a statutory right
accorded to the applicant, which cannot be denied, and limitation vis a vis technical
pleas should not come in way of settlement of claims which are discretionary in nature.
7. The aforesaid exercise may be carried out within a period of two months failing
which, the applicant shall also be entitled to interest at GPF rates on the amount so
arrived at while settling the bills, for the delayed period after the expiry of the above
stipulated period. Accordingly, the O.A. is disposed of, in the above terms. All pending
Miscellaneous Applications, if any, shall also stand disposed of. No order as to costs.



(VARUN SINDHU KUL KAUMUDI) (MANISH GARG)
ADMINISTRATIVE MEMBER JUDICIAL MEMBER




/mh /

O.A. is disposed of on : 16.10.2026
Order dictated on : 16.10.2026
Submitted for approval on : 22.10.2026

Page 4 of 4

Digitally signed by MINHAJUL HAQUE
DN: C=IN, O=Central Administrative Tribunal, OU=CAT, PostalCode=
500004, L=Hyderabad, S=Telangana, STREET="No.5-10-193, 1st Floor,
Haca Bhavan Opp Public Garden Hyderabad 500004 Telangana", Phone=
89021942bba5cdba77c991a42bd3571c5dc23cb3d72e3189d6aba2a13fc102
MINHAJUL 8b, SERIALNUMBER=
96d7c8649eefeb7c816929f230ec4df80d1f07c03684484c7f3017fa336cfe1e,
[email protected], CN=MINHAJUL HAQUE
Reason: I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document
Location: Hyderabad
Date: 2026.10.28 10:45:22+05'30'
Foxit PDF Reader Version: 2024.3.0
HAQUE