97-year-old freedom fighter receives pension arrears from 2008 to 2021, thanks to Madras High Court

Madras High Court closes contempt proceedings after pension arrears for 97-year-old freedom fighter are credited promptly.

The Madras High Court on Monday closed contempt proceedings initiated against the Additional Secretary, Public (political pension) department after the officer credited the pension arrears, from 2008 to 2021, in the bank account of a 97-year-old freedom fighter.

Justice Anita Sumanth recorded the submission of Additional Advocate General P. Kumaresan that a Government Order was issued this weekened sanctioning the arrears and that the amount was credited to the freedom fighter M. Velu’s bank account on Monday afternoon.

Since Mr. Velu’s counsel V. Nandagopalan also confirmed the receipt of the amount, the judge disposed of the contempt of court petition. She had, last week, issued a non bailable warrant against the Additional Secretary and directed the Greater Chennai Commissioner of Police to execute it.

Thereafter, when the matter was listed before the judge on Monday morning, the AAG submitted that the Additional Secretary was present in the court and that a G.O. had also been issued sanctioning the payment of the entire pension arrears due to the freedom fighter.

The AAG told the court that the amount would get credited in the petitioner’s bank account within a day or two. However, the judge refused to grant an adjournment and insisted that the money should be credited on the same day and a compliance report should be filed by 4 p.m.

Accordingly, when the matter was taken up in the forenoon session, the judge was informed of the money having been credited in the petitioner’s account. Mr. Nandagopal told the judge that the nonagenarian was extremely thankful to the court for having come to his rescue.

Mr. Mani, a former member of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose led Indian National Army, had filed a writ petition in 2021 stating that the State government had granted freedom fighter’s pension to him only from that year though he had been making repeated applications since 1987.