Maharashtra government agrees to grant financial benefits to martyrs widow as special case

The Maharashtra government on Wednesday informed the Bombay High Court that it has decided to grant financial benefits to the family of an Army Major, who was killed in the line of duty in Jammu and Kashmir four years ago. Aakriti Sood, the widow of Major Anuj Sood, had moved the high court seeking benefits (monetary) for ex-servicemen under two government resolutions of 2019 and 2020. Major Sood lost his life on May 2, 2020, when he was rescuing civilian hostages from terrorist hideouts. He was awarded the Shaurya Chakra posthumously.

The state government had initially said Sood's family was not eligible for the benefit and allowance as the resolutions were only for those born in Maharashtra or who have had a continuous stay of 15 years. A division bench of Justices Girish Kulkarni and Firdosh Pooniwalla had earlier directed the government to consider Sood's case as a special and exceptional one and extend the benefits. The court had said if the government could not do so, then the court would pass appropriate orders. On Wednesday, Advocate General Birendra Saraf told the bench that the government has decided to extend benefits to Sood's family as a special case. The government has decided to pay a sum of Rs one crore (Rs 60 lakh to Aakriti and Rs 40 lakh to Sood's father) and also Rs 9,000 monthly payment to Aakriti. The bench appreciated the government's decision and said the government has given respect to a difficult situation.

"These are real human agonies. Always there is an exception...It is a special case," the court said. "We highly appreciate the stand taken by the chief minister and the state government in considering the petitioner's case as a special case and granting benefits," the court said. The bench disposed of the petition noting that the amount shall be disbursed as expeditiously as possible. Aakriti Sood in her plea had challenged the communication received from the government on August 26, 2020, denying benefits claiming that Sood was neither born in Maharashtra nor residing in the state for the last 15 years. The plea contended that the family has been residing in Maharashtra for the last 15 years as wished by her late husband. She added that Sood always intended to reside at Pune in Maharashtra.