Jharkhand High Court Orders Registration Of FIR In Alleged HIV-Infected Blood Transfusion Case Involving Minor Thalassemia Patients

The Jharkhand High Court has directed registration of an FIR in connection with allegations that HIV-infected blood was transfused to minor thalassemia patients at the Blood Bank of Chaibasa Sadar Hospital in West Singhbhum district.A Single Judge Bench of Justice Gautam Kumar Choudhary was hearing a writ petition seeking registration of an FIR over the alleged transfusion of HIV-infected blood to minor petitioners in October 2025.Previously, the petitioners approached the High Court seeking a direction to the authorities to lodge an FIR in relation to the transfusion of infected blood to minor children at the Chaibasa Sadar Hospital Blood Bank. A further prayer was made for constitution of a Special Investigation Team, to be monitored by the Court, for conducting a thorough and time-bound investigation and for fixing criminal liability on those responsible. It was contended that due to the acts and omissions of the persons in charge of the blood bank, the lives of five minor children had been imperilled, as they allegedly contracted HIV following blood transfusions carried out at the said blood bank. The State submitted that no complaint had been given by the petitioners or their guardians to the Officer-in-Charge of the police station and, therefore, no case had been registered.Taking note of the fact that the petitioners belonged to marginalised sections and that the complaint had not been acted upon, the High Court directed that an FIR be registered on the basis of a written report to be submitted by the petitioners before the concerned police station.“There cannot be any cavil with the legal proposition that the police is under the statutory duty to lodge FIR when the complaint discloses a cognizable offence. In the copy of the written report, annexed with the instant writ petition, date is not given.”The Jharkhand High Court directed that any of the petitioners, through their guardian, shall lodge a written report before the concerned police station, which shall be registered without any delay, and a copy of the FIR shall be furnished to the informant.The Court further directed that, after registration of the FIR, the Officer-in-Charge of the concerned police station shall file a copy of the written report before the High Court by way of a counter-affidavit.The matter has been directed to be listed next on 18 February 2026.Title: Deepika Hembram (through her natural guardian Anita Hembram) & Ors. v. State of Jharkhand & Ors.Case Number: W.P. (Cr) No. 50 of 2026Appearance: Mr. Md. Shadab Ansari appeared for the Petitioners. Ms. Amrita Banerjee appeared for the Respondent–State.Click Here To Read/Download Order

Jharkhand High Court Orders Registration Of FIR In Alleged HIV-Infected Blood Transfusion Case Involving Minor Thalassemia Patients

Rushil Batra

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