"considerationm zwhenm zthem zchargem zinm zam zcriminalm zCourtm zconsistsm zofm

zcriminalm znegligence.
Wherem znegligencem zism zanm zessentialm zingredientm zofm zthem zoffence,m zthem
znegligencem ztom zbe
establishedm zbym zthem zprosecutionm zmustm zbem zculpablem zorm zgrossm zandm
znotm zthem znegligence
merelym zbasedm zuponm zanm zerrorm zofm zjudgment.
[sm z304A.9.1]m zBolamm zTest.—
Them ztestm zform zdeterminingm zmedicalm znegligencem zasm zlaidm zdownm zinm
zBolamm zvm zFriernm zHospital
Managementm zCommittee,

432.m zholdsm zgoodm zinm zitsm zapplicabilitym zinm zIndia.

433.m zInm zthem zBolam

case,m zitm zwasm zheldm zthat:

Wherem zyoum zgetm zam zsituationm zwhichm zinvolvesm zthem zusem zofm zsomem
zspecialm zskillm zorm zcompetence,m zthen
them ztestm zasm ztom zwhetherm ztherem zhasm zbeenm znegligencem zorm znotm zism
znotm zthem ztestm zofm zthem zmanm zonm zthem ztop
ofm zam zClaphamm zomnibus,m zbecausem zhem zhasm znotm zgotm zthism zspecialm
zskill.m zThem ztestm zism zthem zstandardm zof
them zordinarym zskilledm zmanm zexercisingm zandm zprofessingm ztom zhavem zthatm
zspecialm zskill...m zAm zmanm zneed
notm zpossessm zthem zhighestm zexpertm zskill;m zitm zism zwellm zestablishedm
zlawm zthatm zitm zism zsufficientm zifm zhe
exercisesm zthem zordinarym zskillm zofm zanm zordinarym zcompetentm zmanm
zexercisingm zthatm zparticularm zart.
Inm zmanym zcases,m zthem zSupremem zCourtm zapprovedm zandm zappliedm zthism
ztestm zform zdeterminingm zthe
negligence.m zInm zJacobm zMathewm zvm zStatem zofm zPunjab,

434.m zthem zSupremem zCourtm zobserved:

Them zwaterm zofm zBolamm ztestm zhasm zeverm zsincem zflownm zandm zpassedm
zunderm zseveralm zbridges,m zhaving
beenm zcitedm zandm zdealtm zwithm zinm zseveralm zjudicialm zpronouncements,m
zonem zafterm zthem zotherm zandm zhas

continuedm ztom zbem zwellm zreceivedm zbym zeverym zshorem zitm zhasm ztouchedm
zasm zneat,m zcleanm zandm zwell-
condensedm zone.

Whenm zam zpatientm zagreesm ztom zgom zform zmedicalm ztreatmentm zorm zsurgicalm
zoperation,m zeverym zcareless
actm zofm zthem zmedicalm zmanm zcannotm zbem ztermedm zasm z'criminal.'m zItm
zcanm zbem ztermedm z'criminal'm zonly
whenm zthem zmedicalm zmanm zexhibitsm zam zgrossm zlackm zofm zcompetencem zorm
zinactionm zandm zwanton
indifferencem ztom zhism zpatient'sm zsafetym zandm zwhichm zism zfoundm ztom
zhavem zarisenm zfromm zgross
ignorancem zorm zgrossm znegligence.m zWherem zam zpatient'sm zdeathm zresultsm
zmerelym zfromm zerrorm zof
judgmentm zorm zanm zaccident,m znom zcriminalm zliabilitym zshouldm zbem
zattachedm ztom zit.m zMere
inadvertencem zorm zsomem zdegreem zofm zwantm zofm zadequatem zcarem zandm
zcautionm zmightm zcreatem zcivil
liabilitym zbutm zwouldm znotm zsufficem ztom zholdm zhimm zcriminallym zliable.
435.m zNegligencem zcannotm zbe
attributedm ztom zam zdoctorm zsom zlongm zasm zhem zperformsm zhism zdutiesm
zwithm zreasonablem zskillm zand
competence.m zMerelym zbecausem zthem zdoctorm zchoosesm zonem zcoursem zofm
zactionm zinm zpreferencem zto
them zotherm zonem zavailable,m zhem zwouldm znotm zbem zliablem zifm zthem
zcoursem zofm zactionm zchosenm zbym zhim
wasm zacceptablem ztom zthem zmedicalm zprofession.

436.m zInm zSureshm zGuptam z(Dr)m zvm zGovtm zofm zNCTm zof

Delhi,
437.m zthem zApexm zCourtm zheldm zthatm zwherem zthem zmedicalm zpractitionerm
zfailedm ztom ztake
appropriatem zsteps,m zviz.,m z"notm zputtingm zam zcuffedm zendotrachealm ztubem
zofm zproperm zsize"m zsom zasm zto
preventm zaspirationm zofm zbloodm zblockingm zrespiratorym zpassage,m zthem zactm
zattributedm ztom zhimm zmay
bem zdescribedm zasm znegligentm zactm zbutm znotm zsom zrecklessm zasm ztom zmakem
zhimm zcriminallym zliable.
[sm z304A.10]m zDutym zofm zthem zInvestigatingm zOfficer.—
Am zdoctorm zaccusedm zofm zrashnessm zorm znegligencem zmaym znotm zbem zarrestedm
zinm zam zroutinem zmanner
(simplym zbecausem zam zchargem zhasm zbeenm zlevelledm zagainstm zhim).m zUnlessm
zhism zarrestm zis
necessarym zform zfurtheringm zthem zinvestigationm zorm zform zcollectingm
zevidencem zorm zunlessm zthe
investigatingm zofficerm zfeelsm zsatisfiedm zthatm zthem zdoctorm zproceededm
zagainstm zwouldm znotm zmake
himselfm zavailablem ztom zfacem zthem zprosecutionm zunlessm zarrested,m zthem
zarrestm zmaym zbe
withheld.
438.
[sm z304A.11]m zPrivatem zComplaint.—"