Court directs for exgratia payment in custodial death

Patna, Aug 23 (UNI) The Patna High Court today directed the Bihar government to deposit a cheque of Rs five lakh in the court tomorrow as an ex-gratia payment to the bereaved father whose son became the victim of police atrocities and subsequently died in custody.

While hearing an appeal, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Dr J N Bhatt and Justice S K Singh directed the Home Secretary to personally appear in the court with the cheque of the said amount.

The court had directed the government in March last year to pay Rs five lakh ex-gratia to the father of Shivakant alias Bablu who died in judicial custody following torture by the police in 1998.

As per the case, two police officers posted at Digha police station, Patna, in 1998 had arrested Bablu in connection with a criminal case and used third degree torture which ultimately led to his death.

After the death of Bablu, his father moved the court for compensation.

Hearing the case, the court had asked the state government to release Rs five lakh from both the police officers to pay the ex-gratia to the victims father.

Meanwhile, both the erring police officers filed a Laters Patent Appeal (LPA). Hearing the LPA, the court during the day directed the Home Secretary to appear with the cheque in the court tomorrow.

UNI XC-RS KK AB PB PC2306