People Abandoning Elderly Parents Will Not Get Their Property: Karnataka Minister

Medical Education Minister Sharan Prakash Patil issued directions directing all government medical colleges to report such incidents and file complaints.

The Karnataka government has issued a warning that property transfers and wills favouring children who abandon their elderly parents in hospitals will be revoked. The warning was issued after several reports from the Belagavi Institute of Medical Sciences (BIMS) has surfaced of over 150 cases of elderly for being deserted. 

Similar incidents have surfaced from other government medical colleges in Karnataka as well. In response, Medical Education Minister Sharan Prakash Patil issued directions ordering all government medical colleges to report such incidents and file complaints with assistant commissioners (revenue sub-division) to launch a legal action against those.

The issue was highlighted by the BIMS director amid a review meeting which was held at Vikasa Soudha, leading Patil to instruct Dr B L Sujatha Rathod, Director of medical Education, to enfore actions as soon as possible, according to a report by Indian Express.

Parents Can Revoke Property Transfers: Sharan Prakash Patil 

Medical officers disclosed that several elderly parents were left in hospitals in guise of treatment but they never taken back to their respective home. This followed as hospitals provide food and shelter, prompting a few people to abandon their parents there to escape the responsibility. 

In most of the cases parents were deserted following their property was transferred to their children, while in some cases financial difficulties were cited the reason. However, BIMS shifted 70 elderly people to retirement homes, but several remaining in the hospital still looking for the help.

Later, Minister Sharan Prakash Patil also emphasised parents can revoke property transfers if their children fail in their duty of care and responsibility under the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act 2007. In addition, Section 23 of the Act also allows the parents to get return of the property if a child abandons them after inheriting their assets.