Tribunal admits sapper's psychosis was due to military service

An Army sapper has been allowed disability pension after his plea that his psychotic disorder was due to military service was accepted by an army tribunal here.
B Eswar Reddy of Prakasam district in Andhra Pradesh joined the Indian Army as a Sapper - an army specialist in mines and devices - in 1999.
He has been allowed disability pension, cadre and other benefits for ex-servicemen over seven years after he was relieved from military service due to psychotic disorder.
During service, he was diagnosed as having "Other Non-Organic Psychosis." He was invalidated out of service on January 11, 2008 as per an Invalidment Medical Board proceedings.

Submitting that he contracted the disease due to the stress and strain of the Army service, Reddy prayed with the Regional Bench of AFT for disability pension and other benefits.
After hearing both sides, the Regional Bench allowed the prayer and said the applicant "be deemed as affected by Psychosis" only due to stress and strain caused in the military service.

"Applicant is entitled for disability pension at 75 per cent with effect from the date of his discharge," Justice V Periya Karuppiah and Administrative Member Lt Gen K Surendra Nath of AFT's Regional Bench said in their recent order.

The Bench ruled that he is also entitled to other attendant benefits like Ex-servicemen Contributory Health Scheme, canteen card and ex-serviceman status.
"The respondents (Army, Centre) are hereby directed to pay the arrears of disability pension payable from the date of discharge till this date," it said.
The Bench also directed authorities to issue pension payment order granting disability pension and other attendant benefits within three months.
"In default to comply, the respondents shall be liable to pay the said sum with interest at 9 per cent per annum till it is fully complied with.