No compensation to Mecca Masjid victims

HC quashes Govt orders that helped those wrongly implicated

Hyderabad: The PIL bench of the AP High Court on Monday comprising Chief Justice Kalyan Jyothi Sengupta and Justice KC Bhanu on Monday quashed the government order granting compensation to Muslim youth who were wrongly arrested in connection with the Mecca Masjid bomb blast Case.

Allowing a writ petition filed by a resident of Secunderabad Venkatesh Goud the bench pointed out that there was no law that permitted the government to pay such compensation and also that there was no yardstick on the basis of which the quantum of compensation was arrived at.

In what could be perceived by some as a signal against a populist response the bench faulted the government for doling out compensation not authorised by the law. Even as the bench speaking through the Chief Justice said that compensation shall not be paid government pleader informed the court that the amount had already been dispersed. The bench then directed recovery of the amount and left it open to the victims to seek compensation if so advised by moving the Civil Court for appropriate remedy.

It may be mentioned here that based on the recommendations made by National Minority Commission, government announced compensation to 70 Muslim youths who were wrongly implicated in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case and were allegedly tortured in police custody before being found innocent by courts. The State Minorities Welfare Department issued orders saying that Rs. 70 lakh was being paid to these men as a "confidence-building measure and compensation," in December 2011 and January 2012. Of the 70 men , 20 were to get Rs.3 lakh each and others 50 Rs 20,000 each.