The Delhi High Court has dismissed a public interest writ petition moved by the All India Anti-Terrorist Front seeking directions for payment of an enhanced compensation to two persons injured in the September 7, 2011, blast on the High Court premises as well as to the next of kin of a victim, who died in the terror attack.
The Delhi government informed the court that the ex-gratia compensation of Rs. 3 lakh each had been paid by the District Magistrate in the three cases. A plea was raised on behalf of the State government that the writ petition was not maintainable.
The petition had pointed out that Aftab Ahmed and Raashid Ali, both differently-abled victims, and the relatives of the deceased, Nizamuddin, had not received compensation despite the High Court’s order passed in September 2011.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice G. Rohini and Justice R.S. Endlaw rejected the petition earlier this week while noting that the compensation had been paid in the three cases. The State government’s affidavit had stated that a total of Rs. 9 lakh had been sanctioned by the Ministry of Home Affairs for ex-gratia payment to the victims.
The High Court had in 2011 asked the Centre and the Delhi government to pay an ex-gratia amount of Rs. 10 lakh each to the families of those killed and Rs. 3 lakh each to those who had suffered grievous injuries in the incident. Petitioner’s counsel Gaurav Bansal said the victims had been running from pillar to post and had approached the government authorities, but they were told that the process was on and their files were with the Divisional Commissioner (Revenue). The two surviving victims were living in a very poor condition and were unable to manage even two meals a day, said the petition. Seventeen persons were killed and 76 were injured in the blast outside one of the gates of the High Court on September 7, 2011.
