Delhi High Court Orders Release Of ₹1 Crore Ex-Gratia Compensation To Husband, Son Of Health Worker Who Died On COVID-19 Duty

The Delhi High Court has ordered release of Rs. 1 crore ex-gratia compensation to the husband and minor son of a health care worker who died on COVID-19 duty during the first wave of pandemic.

Justice Prathiba M Singh directed that Rs. 50 lakhs be released to the husband whereas the remaining Rs. 50 lakhs shall be released to the son.

The court said that the amount released to the son shall be retained by way of an FDR in his name by the father. It added that the FDR would be encashable by the minor upon obtaining majority in the manner he deems fit and that the interest accrued upon the same may be used for his expenses and education.

Justice Singh was hearing a plea moved by the Joseph Varghese, husband of Rachel Varghese who was working with Medeor Hospital as a Quality Manager in the Blood Bank. The hospital was notified as a COVID-19 hospital in May 2020. The deceased passed away in June 2020.

Varghese sought ex-gratia compensation of Rs. 1 crore in terms of the Delhi Government’s Cabinet Decision dated May 13, 2020, stating that compensation will be awarded to family of employees who die on COVID-19 duty.

Delhi Government’s counsel told court that the meeting of Group of Ministers took place on September 13 wherein the case was unanimously recommended for grant of ex-gratia amount of Rs.1 crore to the family members of the deceased.

“In view of the fact that the above decision has now been taken by the GoM for release of the ex-gratia payment of Rs.1 crore to the Petitioner, the present writ petition is disposed of with the direction that the amount of Rs.1 crore be released to the legal heirs of the deceased, i.e., the husband and the son,” the court said while disposing of the plea.

Justice Singh ordered that the amount shall be remitted to the husband by December 24.

Advocates Manoj V. George, Shilpa Liza George, KM Vignesh Ram and Nasib Masih appeared for the petitioner.

CGSC Anurag Ahluwalia appeared for Union of India. ASC Anupam Srivastava and Satyakam appeared for Delhi Government, with Advocate Dhairya Gupta.