Delhi High Court has directed the Delhi Government to pay a compensation of Rs. 7 lakh to the 90-year-old father of a youth who was killed and the truck he was driving was burnt in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots at Nand Nagri in East Delhi.
The Delhi Government had refused the compensation to Sardar Hardayal Singh, father of the victim, on the ground that he was not paid the interim compensation of Rs. 20,000 announced for the families of those killed or injured in the riots.
The petitioner had not claimed the interim compensation in the hope that his son would one day return as several Sikhs were at that time missing and their families were waiting for them to return.
However, he later filed an application for an enhanced compensation of Rs. 3.30 lakh following a direction which said that all those families of the victims of the riots who had been paid the initial compensation of Rs. 20,000 would be further compensated with Rs. 3.30 lakh each.
However, the Government refused to pay the enhanced compensation to him as he failed to submit the required documents, including the death certificate of his son, demanded by the authorities concerned.
He also failed to get another instalment of enhanced compensation of Rs. 3.50 lakh announced by the Union Government for the families of those killed in the riots on the same ground.
Thereafter, he moved the High Court for a direction for the payment of the all the three compensations announced for the families of those killed in the riots.
Upholding the plea of the petitioner, Justice S. Muralidshar said: “This appears to be a genuine case where a 90-year-old father has been fighting for justice for the death of his son in the unfortunate incidents that took place in the aftermath of the assassination of the former Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi.”
Justice Muralidhar also justified the decision of the petitioner not to apply for the death certificate of his son in the hope of his return saying that `it is understandable.’
The petitioner would be paid all the three compensations announced which together comes to Rs. 7 lakh within eight weeks, Justice Muralidhar said in his order.
