Pinnacle court might order investigation into ‘proxy’ Covid death claims

08-03-2022

Regarding the issue over the misapply of its order on granting remuneration for Carona deaths in the nation, the apex court today cautioned that it will “come down heavily” on those who got the ex gratia by delivering fake certificates and court further told that it may order an investigation by an authorised agency to catch these false applicants.

As per statistics placed before the apex court, over 6 lakh citizens across the nation have spent the remuneration amount of Rupees fifty thousand against around 8 lakh applicants, which is far more than the official Covid toll reported by certain states.

Regarding the issue of citizens claiming compensation on the basis of proxy certificates issued by doctors, SG Tushar Mehta informed the bench of Justices M R Shah and B V Nagarathna that the Union had got complaints from certain state governments where such cheating was being committed. 

SG continued and pleaded with the bench to take cognisance of the issue and deliver an order stopping loopholes to avoid the “misuse” of the SC’s order.

Mehta further pleaded with the bench that spending of remuneration couldn’t be an endless process and the court should fix a maximum time limit after which people would not be allowed to claim Covid death solatium. He said a time limit of a month to be given for the victims family to file claim applications.

Senior lawyer Gaurav Bansal, on whose petition the apex court had passed directions for, informed citizens that they should be made aware regarding the scheme before a time limit for claiming the benefit is fixed.

The Top court asked the parties, including state governments, to think over the matter and get here with a certain proposal at the further appearance.