17 April,2024 03:35 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Bombay High Court/ File Photo
The Maharashtra government on Wednesday informed the Bombay High Court that will be granting financial benefits to the family of an Army Major who was killed in the line of duty in Jammu and Kashmir four years ago.
According to the PTI report, the widow of Major Anuj Sood, Aakriti had moved HC seeking monetary benefits for ex-servicemen under 2019 and 2020 government resolutions.
Reportedly, Major Sood was martyred on May 2, 2020, when he was rescuing civilian hostages from terrorist hideouts in J&K. He was awarded the Shaurya Chakra posthumously.
Per the report, the Maharashtra government had initially said Sood's family was not eligible for the benefit and allowance as the resolutions were only for those born in Maharashtra or have lived in the state continuously for 15 years.
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A division bench of Justices Girish Kulkarni and Firdosh Pooniwalla had previously told the government to consider her case as an exceptional one and extend benefits. Reportedly, the court had told the government is they could not do so, they would pass appropriate orders.
On Wednesday, Advocate General Birendra Saraf told the bench that the government has decided to extend benefits to the Sood family as a special case and will be giving them a sum of Rs 1 crore (Rs 60 lakh to Aakriti and Rs 40 lakh to Sood's father) and also Rs 9000 monthly payment to Aakriti, reported PTI.
According to the reportedly, the bench lauded the government's decision and said the government gave respect to a difficult situation.
"These are real human agonies. Always there is an exception...It is a special case. We highly appreciate the stand taken by the chief minister and the state government in considering the petitioner's case as a special case and granting benefits," the court said.
According to the report, the bench disposed of the petition noting the amount shall be disbursed as expeditiously as possible.
Reportedly, Aakriti Sood, in her plea, challenged the communication she received from the government on August 26, 2020, denying benefits. She said that the resolution had said that Sood was neither born in Maharashtra nor residing in the state for the last 15 years.
According to the report, the plea contended that the family has been residing in Maharashtra for the last 15 years as wished by her late husband. She added that Sood always intended to reside in Maharashtra's Pune.
