ET BureauMaximum fake claims for compensation on kin's death due to Covid-19 were reported from Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Kerala, the Centre told the Supreme Court on Monday, urging it to allow a central agency to scrutinise fake claimants.
The bench headed by Justice MR Shah had earlier taken serious note of such fake claims and opined that it may direct a CAG probe into it. Solicitor general Tushar Mehta argued that such a probe would deter people from submitting fake claims.
Mehta also urged the court that a deadline of four weeks be set for such claims. But the bench at the instance of petitioner Gaurav Bansal said the period was too short as death-related rituals and paper works were time-consuming. Instead, the bench suggested 60 days to file old claims and 90 days for claims related to fresh deaths. The SC had ordered that ₹50,000 be given as compensation to the family of anyone who died of Covid. The payment would be from the National Disaster Management Authority funds and would be in addition to any amount paid earlier by the central and state governments.
Kerala opposed the idea of a central agency scrutinising the claims. It would create issues with states in a federal set-up, senior advocate R Basant said, suggesting that district legal services authority or district judge be entrusted with the task.
The SC refused to look at the issue through this prism. His argument that the NDMA has the statutory powers to examine the claims and punish fake claimants appeared acceptable to the SC.
The bench headed by Justice MR Shah had earlier taken serious note of such fake claims and opined that it may direct a CAG probe into it. Solicitor general Tushar Mehta argued that such a probe would deter people from submitting fake claims.
Mehta also urged the court that a deadline of four weeks be set for such claims. But the bench at the instance of petitioner Gaurav Bansal said the period was too short as death-related rituals and paper works were time-consuming. Instead, the bench suggested 60 days to file old claims and 90 days for claims related to fresh deaths. The SC had ordered that ₹50,000 be given as compensation to the family of anyone who died of Covid. The payment would be from the National Disaster Management Authority funds and would be in addition to any amount paid earlier by the central and state governments.
Kerala opposed the idea of a central agency scrutinising the claims. It would create issues with states in a federal set-up, senior advocate R Basant said, suggesting that district legal services authority or district judge be entrusted with the task.
The SC refused to look at the issue through this prism. His argument that the NDMA has the statutory powers to examine the claims and punish fake claimants appeared acceptable to the SC.
Read More News on
(Catch all the Business News, Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.)
...moreDownload The Economic Times News App to get Daily Market Updates & Live Business News.
