HC orders Rs 10 lakh compensation each to blast victims

The two governments were also asked by a bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Sanjiv Khanna to pay Rs 10 lakh each to the permanently disabled blast victims.

"The situation in this case is different as it has happened at the doorstep of the temple of justice," the bench observed. It asked the two governments to share the ex-gratia amount equally and disburse the same within three weeks.

The bench also directed a payment of Rs 3 lakh each to people who suffered grievous injuries and Rs 20,000 each to those who received minor injuries. In addition, the court also asked the Centre to consider providing education to the victims' children and directed the Delhi government to provide jobs to eligible children of victims.

"It was a catastrophe that fell on persons on the way to reach court to get justice," the bench said, recalling the horror of the     blast triggered near the court's reception counter. The blast left 15 people dead and over 70 injured.

Appearing for the Centre, Additional Solicitor General A S Chandihoke informed the bench that an ex-gratia amount of Rs two lakh each from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund has already been released to family members of the deceased persons, while an amount of Rs one lakh each has been given to the victims, who are permanently incapacitated.

He, however, said the government is ready to pay any amount as compensation that the court may wish. The law officer made the submission when the court desired that at least Rs 10 lakh each be give as compensation in cases of people who lost their lives or who were permanently disabled in the terror attack.

The Delhi government's standing counsel Najmi Waziri informed the bench that the state government has released four lakh each to the relatives of people, who died in the blast and Rs two lakh to the permanently disabled victims, besides one lakh to the seriously injured ones.

The state released the fund from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund. After hearing the submissions from the counsel, the bench directed the city government to provide the blast victims the "best possible treatment" under a 'Free Treatment Quota'.

To ensure the "best possible treatment" for the terror attack victims, the court said, "If any artificial limb is required for any victim, the same will be provided by the government."

The court's direction came during hearing of a public interest lawsuit filed by advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal, seeking court's direction to the government to ensure social security for the terror attack victims and their relatives.