Right to Information helps CRPF man receive ‘invalidated’ pension

Sheikh sent his application to CRPF principal information officer on March 25 and again a clarification on April 10. On April 16,he received a letter informing him that his invalidated pension had been sanctioned with effect from May 1,2009.

Sheikh,who had joined CRPF as a constable in 1994,was diagnosed with schizophrenia/bipolar disorder with psychotic reactions. On March 6,2009,a medical board at the Gandhinagar Composite Hospital declared him unfit for any permanent or temporary work in CRPF. On March 31,2009,he was issued a notice and finally invalidated from service on April 30 the same year on grounds of disability. But he was not granted invalidated pension as given to paramilitary personnel.

Sheikh dispatched a query under RTI to CRPF headquarters in New Delhi. He asked if the headquarters had received his invalidated pension papers,and what were the rules for releasing such pensions,as also the maximum time taken for releasing such pensions. In his query,he also asked the reason for the delay in his case,the officers responsible for the delay and how much more time it will take to clear his pensions.

Meanwhile,Sheikh received a letter from the CRPF headquarters on April 16,informing him that his pension has been granted and he could claim it from restrospective effect from May 1,2009,after his medical examination.

Since Sheikh joined CRPF in 1994,he was posted at eight different places like Jaipur,Manipur,Jammu and Kashmir,Assam,Gujarat (Ahmedabad),New Delhi and Tripura.

During his posting at A D Nagar (Tripura) in 2007,he was declared a psychiatry patient.

Deputy Commandant (Administration) B N Sidh said his pension papers had been cleared and sent to the accounts department.