On a habeas corpus filed by the man's son, a High Court bench comprising Justices N K Jain and M Karpagavinayagam directed that the patient be handed over to his son, and also ordered issuance of notice to the commissioner of police and Dr Rajan Santhosham, the hospital in-charge, returnable on October 30.

The bench also directed the petitioner to produce his father, who hails from Kollam in Kerala, in court that day.

Observing that the man had already made a payment of Rs 10,000 towards his bill, the bench, in an interim order, directed him to pay Rs 20,000, being 50 per cent of the balance amount of the bill, within two weeks.

The petitioner submitted that on August 20, his father, K Sugutham, who was on his way to Egmore railway station to purchase a ticket to his home town,suddenly developed chest pain and was rushed to the Santhosham Chest Hospital by passers-by, in an unconscious state.

The petitioner said two days later, his father regained consciousness and as he was not able to pay the amount demanded by the hospital, requested that he be shifted to the Government General Hospital. Instead, he was locked up in a room, the petitioner alleged.

On September 19, his father escaped to the lodge in which he was staying. However, following a complaint by the hospital, police traced his father and handed him back to the hospital on September 26. Thereafter, both his father and he were taken to a guest house and kept under guard, the petitioner contended.

He said on October 3, he was permitted to leave the guest house to arrange money for payment of the bill, with a threat that he would be done away with if he reported the matter to the authorities.

The petitioner said his mother, on learning about the happenings, sent telegrams to the Tamil Nadu Governor and ChiefMinister. According to the petitioner, his father was given a bill of over Rs 38,000 for hospitalisation between August 20 and September 19.