India, May 11 -- The Bombay high court on Friday struck down an insurance ombudsman order, refusing reimbursement of Rs.17.77 lakh spent on cancer treatment by an 83-year-old businessman in the city on account of his drinking habit. A single judge bench of justice Sandeep Marne held that there was no material suggesting his cancer was connected to his drinking habit, so the health insurance claim should not have been by the ombudsman.

"There is absolutely no evidence on record to indicate that petitioner's occasional consumption of alcohol has contributed to cancer, for which he was required to take medical treatment," said justice Marne while striking down the ombudsman order. "The insurance ombudsman has not even made an attempt to est...