India News | Pay Rs 5 Lakh Honorarium to 83-yr-old Retired Policeman Who Killed Dacoit: SC to UP
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the UP government to pay Rs 5 lakh honorarium to a retired 83-year-old police constable, who killed a dacoit and saved people.
New Delhi, Dec 4 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the UP government to pay Rs 5 lakh honorarium to a retired 83-year-old police constable, who killed a dacoit and saved people.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Datta and Ujjal Bhuyan took a humane approach and directed for payment of the honorarium and said, "These things matter a lot to people especially in rural areas."
Advocate Ruchira Goel, appearing for the UP government, said the state government had granted a commendation certificate and as per policy of the state it was voluntarily willing to give a Rs 1 lakh honorarium.
Justice Surya Kant, however, said, "We appreciate your effort and considering the size of your state, we thought it could be more. These factors are significant to some people. It's not about the petitioner needing money but honour. With your cooperation, he has now received a commendation certificate."
The bench said it was earlier thinking of granting a Rs 10 lakh honorarium, but looking at the fairness on the part of the state government, it was inclined to order a Rs 5 lakh honorarium.
The bench said it would pass a detailed order and formulate it in such a way that it did not become precedent.
The top court was hearing a plea filed by former constable Ram Autar Singh Yadav seeking directions to authorities to act on the recommendation for gallantry award to him.
The Allahabad High Court in August, 2023, refused to examine the matter on grounds of "gross delay" after noting that the recommendation for award was made 34 years ago.
Aggrieved by the high court order, Yadav moved the Supreme Court.
On November 6, it granted a last opportunity to the state authorities to take appropriate decision for conferment of gallantry award to the petitioner and said it must conclude a respectable financial amount also.
In September, the state government informed the top court that after due investigation of the petitioner's documents, it proposed to recommend the grant of a commendation to the petitioner by the director general of police.
The apex court was later informed that the matter was under consideration before the competent authority.
The bench desired that an endeavour would be made to honour the petitioner on the Police Day falling on October 21. It had in February sought the response of the state on Yadav's plea.
"Considering the petitioner's act of bravery in saving the public by killing a dacoit and the fact that he was recommended for a Gallantry Award on August 3, 1989, we are inclined to issue notice to the respondents," the bench said on February 20 and appointed senior advocate Rana Mukherjee, as amicus curiae.
(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)