Today, a Division Bench of the High Court of J&K and Ladakh at Jammu comprising the Chief Justice Arun Palli and Justice Rajnesh Oswal directed the Principal & Dean, Government Medical College, Jammu to file a comprehensive/detailed affidavit with regard to the collapse of Cardiac Services at SSH, Jammu which led to the taking of Suo Moto Cognizance by the Division Bench of High Court of J&K and Ladakh on the basis of a news item published in ‘Daily Excelsiors’ issue dated 09.12.2025 wherein it had been highlighted that Cardiac Services at Government Super Speciality Hospital, Jammu came to a standstill after authorized suppliers of Emergency Cardiac Devices including stents, pacemakers, balloons and Cath Lab consumables– suspended all deliveries owing to unpaid dues amounting to ₹30 crores under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY).
When this PIL of wide public importance registered on the directions of the Division Bench on December 9th, 2025 came up for hearing, Amicus Curiae Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed with Advocates Rahul Raina, Supriya Chouhan, M. Zulkarnain Chowdhary and Hasnain Shakeel informed the Division Bench that an affidavit pursuant to order dated 09.12.2025 has been filed by Dr. Ashutosh Gupta, Principal & Dean, Government Medical College, Jammu.
The Division Bench headed by the Chief Justice Arun Palli in the open court read the contents of the said affidavit wherein it was highlighted that on 05.12.2025 M/s Hill Life Care Ltd. communicated its decision to stop the supplies of Cardiac Stents, Implants and Devices to the Cardiology Department, Super Speciality Hospital, Jammu citing delay in release of payments. The affidavit further says that the Principal, GMC, Jammu requested the suppliers to continue to supply the Cardiac implants and devices, however despite repeated requests and assurances, four local dealers of the Amrit Pharmacy disrupted the supply of Cardiac implants, stents and other devices in the Cardiology Department, SSH, Jammu without prior notice, thereby endangering lives of the patients and creating a situation that could have resulted in major mishap.
In the affidavit, it was also divulged that a Show-Cause Notice dated 08.12.2025 was also issued to HLL Life Care Ltd. and the department immediately reached out to AIIMS, Vijaypur and other alternative sources and the system has been fully restored in the Cardiology Department, SSH, Jammu. In the said affidavit, it was also divulged that based on the preliminary evidence including CCTV footage, criminal proceedings have been initiated for alleged theft and unlawful removal of medical devices.
The Division Bench after carefully going through the affidavit of Dr. Ashutosh Gupta, Principal & Dean GMC, Jammu, in the open court raised certain queries to be answered by the Principal & Dean, GMC, Jammu and directed Senior AAG Monika Kohli appearing for the UT Administration to come up with a detailed/comprehensive affidavit of Principal, GMC, Jammu before the next date of hearing as the Division Bench in the open court remarked that the matter is very sensitive and concerning the patients requiring immediate medical attention.
Looking in to the seriousness and importance of the matter, the Division Bench directed the Registry to re-notify the instant PIL for 18.12.2025.