By IANS,
New Delhi : Brothers of former defence minister George Fernandes Wednesday moved the Delhi High Court pleading for an early hearing of the custody case due to the deteriorating health of the veteran leader.
Moving an urgent application, Richard Fernandes, a brother of the socialist leader, contended that the matter should be heard on priority basis as George’s health is deteriorating day-by-day.
The vacation bench of Justice Manmohan Singh, however, posted the matter for further hearing July 1, giving no relief to George’s brother.
The family members of the 78-year-old politician are fighting a legal battle for his custody. Fernandes has Alzheimer’s disease.
On the last date of hearing, wife of the ailing leader, Leila Kabir told the court that her right to take care of her husband cannot be taken away by his brothers, who alleged that they have been denied access to the veteran socialist leader.
“I am his lawfully wedded wife, whose status as a wife has not changed and whose rights and obligations as a wife cannot be interfered [with] either by his brothers or his companions,” Kabir said in her affidavit filed in court.
The former Samata Party chief’s brothers Richard and Michael have alleged that Kabir is not allowing them access to the politician.
They alleged that she was staying separately from Fernandes for the past 25 years and had now come back to him as she was eyeing his property.
Countering the allegations, Kabir said the suit was filed at the instance of Fernandes’s close aide Jaya Jaitly.
She said the brothers stayed outside Delhi and had never visited the former minister. She claimed that property worth crores of rupees was the motivating factor for them to join issue with her now.
Earlier, the court had asked the warring family members to resolve their differences and provide the best medical treatment to the leader.