Deadline over,state yet to pay compensation to five men wrongly convicted for murder

The Punjab government has failed to comply with the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court which had asked the state to deposit Rs 1 crore as compensation to five persons...

The Punjab government has failed to comply with the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court which had asked the state to deposit Rs 1 crore as compensation to five persons (Rs 20 lakh each) who were wrongly awarded life imprisonment for murdering a man who later turned out to be alive. In its orders dated September 23,the court had given a one months time (applicable from the date of passing of orders) to the government to deposit the amount with the registrar of the HC. Sources said the state government is yet to decide whether to challenge the decision of the HC division bench in the Supreme Court or award the compensation. There is a deadline of 30 days for filing an appeal too,but that applies from the date of receipt of orders.

The state chief secretary and home secretary claimed that they knew nothing about the compensation orders. I dont know about the case,I never received any such file. It is possible that the home department might have deposited the amount without informing me, Chief Secretary S C Aggarwal told The Indian Express .

Home Secretary A R Talwar said,I havent yet received the orders from the High Court. I think the amount is payable within 30 days of the receipt of the order; I had read about such an order in newspapers. I will have to check whether my department has received any such orders. It is quite possible that the money may have been deposited.

However,officials in the HC registry confirmed that the amount has not been paid.

As per the law,the five persons who are to receive the compensation can file a contempt petition in the HC demanding action against the government,and the home and chief secretaries. Nachhatar Singh,one of the five persons who are to get the compensation,said,I thought the harassment has come to an end after the court acquitted me and my family members. But I think I will again have to pay endless visits to the high court to receive the compensation.

I have already visited the court twice in last week to enquire whether the amount has been paid or not. I might soon be left with no option but to file a contempt petition, he added.

The case was registered in 1996 and it took 13 years for the five innocents to get acquitted in a murder case for which they were awarded life imprisonment by a lower court in 2001. The man they had allegedly murdered Jagseer Singh of Barnala turned out to be alive later. The other accused were Sheera Singh,Nikka Singh,Amarjeet Singh and Surjeet Singh.

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