BENGALURU: Karnataka High Court directed Air India Ltd to pay Rs 20 lakh as compensation to a physically challenged doctor and her mother for not providing a wheelchair during their Europe tour in July 2016. Observing that Air India had violated the fundamental rights of the petitioners and the provisions of the Persons With Disabilities Act, Justice B Veerappa passed the order to pay compensation by partly allowing the petition filed by Dr S J Rajalakshmi and her 63-year-old mother Dr S Shobha, residents of Srinagar in the city.
The petitioners had sought a compensation of Rs 33.36 lakh. Rajalakshmi said her wheelchair did not arrive at London Airport though it was checked in at Bengaluru Airport on July 18, 2016.
Directing Air India to pay Rs 10 lakh each to the mother and daughter, the court directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru South, to take action against the Girinagar police station for not registering the petitioners’ case.