Delhi High Court Orders BSES to Pay Rs. 10 Lakh to Widow of Sub Inspector Afzal Ali
The Delhi High Court has directed power company BSES to pay an ex-gratia compensation of Rs. 10 Lakh to Shagufta Ali, the widow of Sub Inspector Afzal Ali, who died from electrocution in 2017.
Background
Afzal Ali, a Sub Inspector with the Delhi Police (Traffic) since 1990, tragically died on May 21, 2017. He was electrocuted when he came into contact with a channel gate while seeking shelter from rain in New Lajpat Rai Market. He was taken to Aruna Asaf Ali Hospital but was declared dead on arrival.
Court’s Decision
Shagufta Ali had sought Rs. 50 Lakh in compensation. However, Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav ruled that Rs. 10 Lakh was appropriate, considering the family had already received Rs. 27,96,496 in pensionary benefits and a monthly pension. The court ordered BSES to pay the amount within three months, failing which a 6% annual interest would apply.
Further Legal Remedies
The court noted that negligence could not be solely attributed to BSES and allowed Shagufta Ali to pursue further legal remedies in a Civil Court. The Civil Court is directed to adjudicate the matter within a year, and BSES is instructed not to delay proceedings.
Legal Representation
Advocates Saeed Qadri, Sahil Gupta, and Mohd. Shakil represented Shagufta Ali in court.
Doubts Revealed
Delhi High Court -: The Delhi High Court is a big building where judges work to make important decisions about laws and people’s problems in Delhi, the capital city of India.
BSES -: BSES is a company that provides electricity to people in Delhi. They make sure homes and businesses have power to use lights, fans, and other electrical things.
Rs. 10 Lakh -: Rs. 10 Lakh means 1,000,000 Indian Rupees. It’s a way to talk about a large amount of money in India.
Widow -: A widow is a woman whose husband has died. In this case, Shagufta Ali is the widow of Sub Inspector Afzal Ali.
Sub Inspector -: A Sub Inspector is a rank in the police force. They help keep people safe and make sure everyone follows the law.
Electrocution -: Electrocution means getting hurt or killed by electricity. It can happen if someone touches something with a lot of electric power.
Negligence -: Negligence means not being careful enough and causing harm or damage because of it. The court said BSES was not the only one to blame for the accident.
