The Gauhati High Court earlier this week directed the Assam Government to pay an additional Rs 20 lakh, apart from Rs 5 lakh already paid as interim relief, as ‘palliative’ compensation to the widow of a businessman who was allegedly abducted, brutally tortured and killed by police personnel in 2020.
A bench of Justices Kalyan Rai Surana and Shamima Jahan awarded the compensation under the public law remedy.
The bench noted that the accused police personnel had not only allegedly conspired to abduct and torture the businessman but had also buried his body in an attempt to conceal the crime. The bench said that their actions demonstrated the “barbaric” nature of the acts allegedly committed by them, which had the effect of “shaking the judicial conscience”.
“It is not necessary to wait till the conclusion of the criminal trial, to reach the conclusion that the police officers were in fact responsible for the custodial death of the deceased (businessman) and then pay compensation, as is contended by the respondent state,” the order read.
The high court was hearing an appeal of one Joyanta Maibangsa who was seeking directions to authorities for payment of compensation of Rs 50 lakh for the custodial death of her businessman husband, Santosh Hojai of Dima Hasao district.
Gauhati HC awards Rs 25 lakh compensation to woman for husband’s custodial death
