CHENNAI: The Madras High Court pulled up two ex-servicemen for neglecting their elderly parents. The two sons had deserted their aged parents and a Vellore court directed them earlier to pay Rs 400 to their parents every month.
Even that seemed to be an insurmountable hurdle for the two ex-servicemen who were getting pension. They filed an appeal in the Madras High Court to relieve them from paying the paltry sum.
On Wednesday, the Madras High Court lashed the two brothers, both ex-servicemen and to whom the father had conveyed 0.8 acre of land each.
“The act of the petitioners, neglecting a senior citizen, who is none other than their own father, is not a welcome one. They should have realised that their father’s age will not reduce to get energy and strength. The children will become old and they will also face a similar situation. They may be taken to old age homes by their children. The value of youngsters who take care of their parents is on the decline and their action of abandoning the parents at an old age is punishable,” Justice S Vaidyanathan said in the order.
C Chinnappa (87) is a resident of Vellore district. His sons, C Shanmugam and C Mani, deserted their parents. On a petition by the elderly couple, the Additional District-cum-Sessions Judge, Vellore on August 19, 2008, directed the sons to pay `400 to Chinnappa every month. During the pendency of the case, Chinnappa’s wife died.
Appealing against the order, Shanmugam and Mani contended that their father owned 40 cents of land (after distributing 2.40 acre among the three sons) and was living with their elder brother.
Upholding the lower court order, Justice Vaidyanathan said a monthly maintenance of `400 awarded by the lower court was too meagre when one considered the present cost of living. “Hence, I do not find any reason to interfere with the (lower court) order,” the judge said and directed the petitioners to deposit the entire arrears of maintenance since 2004, if not already deposited, within two months, and to continue paying the maintenance each month.