New Delhi, Jan 31 (IANS): The Delhi High Court Thursday directed the city government to issue notice to all hospitals, including the privately run, not to deny admission to rape and road accident victims for "first-aid treatment".

A division bench of Chief Justice D. Murugesan and Justice V.K. Jain asked the principal secretary of the health department, Delhi government, to issue directions to all the private and government hospitals in the city to not refuse admission to the victims for immediate treatment.

"We direct principal secretary of health department, government of Delhi, to issue directions to all hospitals including private - recognised or not - to admit the victims of rape and road accidents for immediate first-aid treatment," said the bench.

The bench also directed the commissioner of police to immediately take such people to a nearby medical facility instead of the government hospital, which could be far away.

The court was suo moto hearing the case of Dec 16, 2012, gang-rape case.