Delhi HC dismisses compensation claim of 1984 riots victim

Delhi High Court has upheld a single judge order dismissing the plea of a 1984 anti-Sikh riots victim who was seeking enhanced compensation on claims of loss of property and injuries suffered by his wife.
A division bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice RS Endlaw rejected the plea filed by Megh Singh saying he has been unable to substantiate his claim that he received compensation of Rs 2,000 by cheque from Delhi government as a riot victim.
"The most vital thing for the appellant to have proved was receiving compensation as a victim of the riots. Though the appellant claims to have received Rs 2,000 by cheque, he has been unable to prove the same.

"We have perused the documents filed by the appellant... the said medical certificate nowhere advances the case of the appellant, of his wife having suffered grievous injury in the riots. Else, there is nothing else to suggest (the same). There is also no document to show loss of any property of the appellant," the court said.
By terming it "vague", the court also rejected the petitioner's submission on delay in filing of the plea due to his illiteracy, poverty and old age.
Earlier, a single judge bench of Justice Manmohan on January 29 had dismissed Singh's plea for compensation saying he was unable to produce any documents in support of his claim.

According to Singh, he ran a a coal depot which was burnt and looted by the rioters and his wife Prakash Kaur was also seriously injured in the attack.
Later, he approached Municipal Corporation of Delhi with the details of loss of his property upon which his wife received a cheque of Rs 2,000 as initial ex-gratia compensation in January, 1985.
Singh had also filed a case before the screening committee of Delhi government in 2004, which was rejected.