CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court on Monday directed the state government to grant pension under Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension Scheme -1980 to a 100-year-old freedom fighter of Mayurbhanj from the date of his application.
Chakradhar Pradhan had applied for grant of the pension in 1988 claiming to have participated in the freedom movement of the country and remained underground from September 1, 1942 to October 5, 1943. He also stated to have faced imprisonment in Baripada Central Jail for seven days during 1941-42 as political prisoner.
After his application was rejected, he filed a petition in the high court in 2013. In a counter affidavit, the state government said that to be eligible to get pension under the 1980 scheme, a citizen must have suffered minimum imprisonment of six months or remained underground for more than six months.
When the court sought information regarding the petitioner’s imprisonment in Baripada jail, the prison authorities said the information was not available in the records as it relates to more than 79 years back.
Taking note of it, Justice Sashikanta Mishra observed, it would be too much to expect the petitioner to produce clear-cut or cogent proof regarding his incarceration in the jail nearly 80 years ago. “It is therefore, necessary that the petitioner’s claim must be considered favourably,” he ruled.