SC directs Maharashtra Govt to trace and pay compensation to kin of missing persons of 1992 Mumbai riots

New Delhi [India], November 4 : The Supreme Court on Friday has directed Maharashtra Government to trace legal heirs of the missing persons of the 1992 Mumbai riots and pay them compensation.
A bench of justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Abhay S. Oka and Vikram Nath passed these directions. The court directed Maharashtra Government to submit a report to the Committee containing details of 168 missing persons including their names and addresses and will also place material regarding efforts made to trace family members of 108 missing persons who have been deprived of compensation in terms of the second Government Resolution.
The court directed that the State Government shall make all possible efforts to trace the legal heirs/family members of the missing persons.
The court also suggested that the Committee shall monitor this exercise, which will assist the legal representatives of the missing persons to complete the procedural formalities.
The State Government shall also submit to the Committee the record relating to compensation paid in terms of the Annexure to the First Government Resolution as well as in terms of the second Government Resolution by incorporating the specific dates on which the compensation was actually paid to the persons entitled to it, the court directed. If further added that the State Government shall also provide a list of victims who have not been paid compensation in terms of both the Government Resolutions.
"The State Government shall pay compensation of Rs 2 lakhs to the legal heirs of the missing persons traced out hereafter, with interest at the rate of 9 per cent per annum from 22nd January 1999 i.e. from the expiry of the period of six months from the date of the second Government Resolution, till actual payment," the court said.
The court was dealing with a petition seeking to pay compensation to the persons identified as MISSING in the 1992 Mumbai riots and the cases concerning them to be closed.
In December 1992 and January 1993, there were about 900 deaths, 168 persons were reported missing and about 2036 persons suffered injuries. As a result of the serial bomb blasts of 12th March 1993, there were 257 deaths and 1400 people were injured.
The petition has also sought to declare that a public servant found guilty/indicted under the Commission of Enquiry Act, 1952 be liable to be summarily dismissed.
The top court directed the State Government to expeditiously implement all the recommendations made by the Commission on the issue of reforms in the police force which were accepted by it.