Bench pulls up Addl Home Secy for delay in compensation

Madras High Court Bench has pulled up the Tamil Nadu Additional Home Secretary (AHS) for delay in settling the compensation given by an estate company in Malaysia to a woman, whose husband died of injuries in an accident in the country in 2011, and sought to know why costs should not be imposed on him.
The Bench also issued notice to the AHS, Indian High Commissioner in Malaysia and Tirunelveli District Collector.
Admitting a petition filed by Maheswari (24), Justice T Raja criticised the AHS for delaying the settlement and ordered issue of notice to him and the two other officials.

The woman submitted that her injured husband was sent back to India from Malaysia on March 5, 2011 and died without responding to treatment at a hospital on December 4, 2012.
Meanwhile, the company sent him a compensation of US$ 9214.22 (Rs 5.71 lakh) on June 7, 2012. After a 43-day delay, the High Commissioner of India in Malaysia on July 20 sent the demand draft to the AHS for being handed over to the man.
There was another 67-day delay when the Additional Home Secretary sent the DD to the Tirunveli Collector on September 26, 2012. Her husband got the DD on October 2012. Though it was deposited at a bank at Sivakasi at once, they forwarded it to their foreign sector in Tuticorin. Meanwhile, her husband died.

On January 8, the bank returned the DD stating it had expired on September 6.

The woman contended she could not receive the compensation due to delay on the part of the High Commissioner in Malaysia and the Additional Home Secretary.
She submitted she was the mother of two minor children and had spent all her money on treating her husband. As she could not get the compensation on time, she was left without funds and requested the court to intervene and get her the amount.
The Judge pulled up the AHS for being indifferent and delaying the dispatch of the DD and then ordered notice to all the officials.