UP's grant of Rs.6 lakh to kin of terror accused challenged

A day after the Uttar Pradesh government announced a compensation of Rs.6 lakh for the kin a terror accused who died in police custody, a writ petition was filed in the high court Monday challenging the ex-gratia.

Terror accused Khalid Mujahid died in police custody while being taken from a court to prison earlier this month.

The writ petition was filed in Allahabad High Court's Lucknow bench.

Challenging the ex-gratia payment by the state government, activist Nutan Thakur in her petition said that since Mujahid was an accused in terrorism-related offences, his family should not be granted compensation.

"This is simply absurd. The grant of compensation to a terror accused's family is against the constitutional provisions in the constitution's preamble and the fundamental duties, which lay special emphasis on sovereignty, unity and integrity of the nation," Thakur told IANS.

Seeking an immediate inquiry by a retired high court judge whether Mujahid was actually involved in the crime, the petitioner told the court that if he was framed, his family should he be compensated and the police personnel who arrested him should also be legally penalised.

If the probe finds that Mujahid was involved in terror attacks, the compensation should be taken back from his family, the petition said.

Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav Sunday announced the compensation. The move attracted strong reactions from opposition parties, who called it "compromising national security and aimed at appeasing the minorities".