A Lucknow bench of Allahabad high Court has imposed Rs 5,000 penalty each on three doctors in separate cases for their illegible handwriting.

This came in the wake of three criminal reports of the victims issued by the hospitals from Sitapur, Unnao, and Gonda last week during the court hearing.

The court held these reports not readable because the handwriting of the doctors who had issued them were very poor.

The bench also considered it an obstruction in the court work and summoned all the three doctors— Dr. TP Jaiswal of Unnao, Dr. PK Goel of Sitapur and Dr. Ashish Saxena of Gonda.

The bench also imposed a penalty of Rs 5,000 penalty in the court’s library.

The doctors pleaded they erred in writing the legible prescription as they were overburdened.

The court also suggested that such reports should be computer-typed and directed principal secretary (home), principal secretary (medical & health) and director general (medical and health) for the same.

“The medico-legal report, if given clearly, can either endorse the incident as given by the eyewitnesses or can disprove the incident to a great extent. This is possible only if a detailed and clear medico-legal report is furnished by the doctors, with complete responsibility,” the bench observed.

“The medical reports, however, are written in such shabby handwriting that they are not readable and decipherable by advocates or judges. It is to be considered that the medico-legal report and post-mortem reports are prepared to assist the persons involved in the dispensation of criminal justice. If such a report readable by medical practitioners only, it shall not serve the purpose for which it is made,” the bench added.