10 years after court decree, human rights activist Sarabjit Singh Verka gets relief for torture in Punjab Police custody

PK Jaiswar

Amritsar, August 24

The Punjab Police have finally paid compensation to human rights activist Sarabjit Singh Verka, who was implicated in two fake terror cases.

He was acquitted in both cases and in 2008 he had sought compensation for “harassment and torture” meted out to him during police custody.

Verka said the compensation of Rs 14.85 lakh was transferred into his bank account on Wednesday morning. A local court had ordered the district administration to release the amount in March last year.

The Punjab Police had framed Verka in two separate false terror cases in 1992 and 1998. He got acquitted in both cases in 2000 and 2007, respectively.

In 2008, he had filed a case seeking compensation for the alleged torture during police detention.

The court decreed in favour of the complainant in January 2013 and had asked the state government to pay Rs 10 lakh compensation in his account within three months. However, the same was not released.

The court later had attached the cars of the DGP Punjab Police, Amritsar Deputy Commissioner and two vehicles of the Municipal Corporation in September 2019, forcing the authorities to pay the compensation. It was increased to Rs 14.85 lakh following 6 per cent annual interest.

In March last year, the court summoned the district treasury officer and asked him to transfer the amount into Verka’s account. The court had also freezed the salary account in the name of the Deputy Commissioner’s office.

Punjab Police pay Rs 14.85 lakh to Verka

• The Punjab Police had framed human rights activist Sarabjit Singh Verka in two false terror cases in 1992 and 1998
• He got acquitted in both cases in 2000 and 2007, respectively. In 2008, he filed a case seeking compensation for the custodial torture during police detention
• The court decreed in favour of the complainant in January 2013 and had asked the state government to pay Rs 10 lakh compensation in his account within three months
• However, the same was not released. The amount was increased to Rs 14.85 lakh after 6 per cent annual interest