"We never visualised that our morality can go so low," an exasperated Supreme Court said Monday, reiterating its concerns over fake certificates being issued to claim Rs 50,000 ex gratia meant for the families of Covid-19 victims. A bench of justices M R Shah and B V Nagarathna said it may direct a probe by the Comptroller and Auditor General into the fake claims.
The court also pulled up the Union government over failing to file a formal application highlighting the problem, despite its indication on the previous date of hearing. The court gave Solicitor General Tushar Mehta time till Tuesday for the same.
On Monday, Mehta pointed towards the problem of fake certificates being issued by doctors to unscrupulous people to claim the ex gratia. "We never visualised that this kind of fake claims could come. It's a pious world. We never thought this scheme could be misused," the bench said.
The bench also said that if some officers are also involved in it, then it is a serious issue.
Advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal pointed at Section 52 in the Disaster Management Act, which addressed such concerns. To this, the bench said, "we need somebody to file a complaint".
Senior advocate R Basant suggested a random examination of the compensation claims by the state legal services authorities.
On an application filed by advocate Diksha Rai on behalf of Assam on the aspect of compensation to children, the top court clarified that ex gratia payment of Rs 50,000, ordered by it, is to be paid for each death due to Covid-19 and not to each child of the affected family.
Earlier on March 7 too, while examining compliance of its judgement, the top court expressed concern at doctors issuing fake medical certificates to people for claiming ex-gratia compensation for Covid deaths.
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