Pay pension benefits to Ex-RAW woman officer with interest: HC

The Delhi High Court has upheld the Central Administrative Tribunal's order asking the central government to pay pension benefits to former RAW official Nisha Priya Bhatia who was compulsorily retired from service for security reasons after her identity became public in 2009.
In a recent judgement, the court has directed the government to pay the money within four weeks with 9 percent rate of interest to Bhatia who was in news for her attempt to commit suicide before the PMO after alleging sexual harassment by her senior officers in 2008 and due to disclosure of her identity as a RAW officer she was compulsory retired.

Dismissing the appeal of Union of India against the CAT's 2011 order asking it to give retirement benefits to Bhatia, a bench of justices S Ravindra Bhat and R V Easwar also imposed a cost of Rs 25,000 on it.
After giving her compulsory retirement in 2009, the department had not released her pension and other financial benefits on the ground that she was unauthorisedly absent in the office from August 29, 2008 to November 22, 2009 which was "grave misconduct".
"Its (CAT) direction to fix her pension with effect from December 19, 2009, without treating such periods as unauthorised absence and take consequential action, and without requiring her to apply for leave, and to release differential amounts, are hereby affirmed.

"The amounts which are to be paid to Bhatia shall be released within 4 weeks. All consequential terminal benefits shall be revised within the same period and paid to her. All such amounts shall carry an interest at the rate of 9 percent per annum from December 19, 2009 till date of payment.