Supreme Court Awards Rs.5 Lakhs Honorarium To 83-Yr Old Ex-Constable Who Saved Lives By Killing Dacoit

The Supreme Court today awarded Rs.5 lakhs as honorarium to an 83-year-old retired Constable, who approached it seeking direction to UP authorities to act on his Gallantry Award recommendation. Reportedly, the retired cop saved members of public by killing a dacoit.

A bench of Justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Datta and Ujjal Bhuyan was dealing with petitioner-Ram Autar's challenge to an Allahabad High Court order, which denied his prayer on the ground that he had approached belatedly.

Earlier, Senior Advocate Rana Mukherjee (acting as Amicus Curiae) informed the Court that pursuant to previous hearings, the petitioner had been given a commendation certificate. However, he was expecting some monetary reward as well. The Amicus further explained the UP government's rationale behind not giving the petitioner anything. Accordingly, the Court granted last opportunity to the UP government to confer Gallantry Award on the petitioner, coupled with a 'respectable' financial amount.

Today, counsel for UP government apprised that the state was agreeable to the award of Rs. 1 lakh. Appreciating the voluntary offer on the state's part, which exceeded what is normally given as monetary sum alongwith awards by the state, Justice Kant said that the bench was initially thinking of awarding Rs.10 lakhs. But keeping in view the state's fairness, the amount was being reduced to Rs.5 lakhs.

Background

The petitioner, formerly a police constable, was recommended for Gallantry award by the Superintendent of Police, Banda on August 3, 1989. In 2023, he approached the High Court with a prayer to issue a writ of mandamus for action on the recommendation, claiming that he had made representations to the authorities repeatedly.

On perusing the record, the High Court did not find any "genuine reason" for the delay exhibited in the matter. "It has been repeatedly held by the Supreme Court as well as by this court that if the litigant is not vigilant to his rights and has been sitting back for no justifiable reason, he may not be permitted to invoke equitable jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution of India," it said.

Taking note of the petitioner's age, the High Court further commented that he was "not going to gain any thing in service period on account of a police medal" even if awarded at this stage.

However, considering the petitioner's "act of bravery in saving the public by killing a dacoit" and the fact that he was recommended for the Gallantry award, the top Court issued notice.

Case Title: Ram Autar Singh Yadav v. State of Uttar Pradesh & Ors., Special Leave to Appeal (C) No(s).26568/2023