NE riots victims seek contempt action for unpaid compensation

New Delhi: Over a year since Delhi High Court ordered the release of compensation awarded by the northeast Delhi riots commission to several victims, no money was released, prompting the affected people to move court seeking contempt proceedings against Delhi govt officials for the delay.In Jan last year, the court asked govt to release the amount recommended by the commission as far as the five petitioners were concerned since they had already moved court. It then gave eight weeks to the authorities to do the needful, after govt did not oppose the demand.
However, a few months later in 2025 itself, govt sought recall of the Jan order by way of an application. The matter is pending."That despite the categorical, unambiguous and time-bound direction issued by this hon'ble court, the contemner has chosen to blatantly disregard and disobey the same. Even after the lapse of over nine months from the date of the order, not a single rupee of the compensation amount as recommended by the commission was released in favour of the petitioners," the plea, filed through advocate Suroor Mander, states.Mander argued that though the amount assessed and recommended by the commission was a fraction of what the petitioners in these cases were entitled to, at the very least, it should be released after the court's directions.The plea contended that Delhi govt's recall application, "filed as an afterthought, must itself be held to be contumacious as no case is made to entertain the said application". The compensation must be paid immediately to the petitioners, whose lives, livelihoods and properties were affected during the communal violence in Feb 2020.The petition says govt's "conduct clearly reflects a contumacious and apathetic attitude, particularly when viewed in the context of the vulnerable position of the petitioners... who continue to suffer from financial and emotional distress even after nearly five years of the tragic events."It argued Delhi govt's "wilful defiance resulted not only in violation of the express orders of this hon'ble court but also in denial of the petitioners' right to receive compensation as recognised under the statutory and constitutional framework".Urging the high court to initiate contempt of court against the erring officials, the plea highlights that the five petitioners "already endured great suffering and prolonged litigation merely to obtain a fraction of the relief lawfully due to them".