The Supreme Court on 10 October ordered the government to compensate a widow with Rs 15 lakh for the custodial death of her husband 27 years ago, in Indu Singh & Ors vs State of UP (WP Cr 40/2014).

Indu Singh’s husband Vinay Singh, a doctor by profession, had died in custody in March 1987, allegedly during an altercation that broke between him on the one hand and two constables on the other.

The petitioners were represented by advocates SS Nehra, ND Gaur, and Arun Kumar Tripathi. The respondents had senior advocate Ratnakar Das and advocates Ashutosh Kr Sharma and Gaurav Dhingra appearing.

On 29 August this year the Supreme Court asked the government to show cause why it should not be directed to pay a lump sum compensation to the widow, at which the government sanctioned a an amount of Rs 5 lakh to be granted to her in compensation.

However, when on the next date of hearing the widow asserted that she is liable to greater compensation since her husband was a doctor and his death took place a long time ago, the bench of justices SJ Mukhopadhaya and PC Pant disposed of the case with the grant of an additional Rs 10 lakh in compensation.

The lump sum amount will be recovered from the guilty police constables.