Fortis and noted cardiologist Naresh Trehan seem to be heading toward an out-of-court settlement, with the warring factions saying they are trying to reach an amicable solution.
A group of doctors close to Trehan, who had sought appointment of a panel to run the Escorts Heart Institute and Research Centre, on Thursday informed the Delhi High Court that efforts were on for amicable resolution of the dispute.
A Fortis spokesperson said separately that the company was open to a settlement outside the court.
Appearing before Justice Gita Mittal, senior advocate Rajiv Sawhney, the counsel for the doctors, sought more time saying that they were on talking terms and were trying to sort out the dispute amicably in the interest of patients.
While granting a week's time to both the parties for the purpose, Justice Mittal stressed that patients should not suffer because of the ongoing dispute.
"Both of you should sit together and look after interests of the patients," the bench said.
The court was hearing the application filed by doctors on Wednesday seeking a slew of directions from the court for the smooth running of the hospital.
The application sought setting up of a three-member committee to run the hospital.
"Restrain the management of the hospital from terminating and transferring or coercing the doctors," it said.
Trehan has also filed an application for impleading himself as a party to the case.
On May 19, the High Court had permitted Trehan to treat his patients and had given him unrestricted access to the institute owned by Fortis Healthcare.
The court had passed directions on an application filed by Anil Nanda, who had earlier opposed the sale of majority stake in EHIRC by his elder brother Rajan Nanda in 2005.
The court had directed that the hospital will be run normally and Trehan and his team of doctors will be allowed to carry out their routine function in the hospital till August 6, the next date of hearing.
Senior advocate Mukul Rohtagi, appearing for Nanda, had submitted that the decision of the Fortis management was violative of the September 2005 order of the high court, which said status quo on the stake holding of EHIRC and its management be maintained.
