Wife of cop who died of Covid moves HC for ex-gratia, notice issued to govt

New Delhi: More than a year after her husband, Delhi Police Constable Amit Kumar (31), succumbed to Covid-19, Pooja, her 5-year-old son and a 5-month-old daughter, are still waiting for an ex-gratia amount of Rs. 1 crore promised to them by Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal in a Twitter post after Kumar's death. However, since any hope of being provided the same seems bleak despite repeated attempts made by her, the 28-year-old widow has now moved the Delhi High Court.

Kumar, the first Delhi cop among more than 70 to succumb to the virus, was posted as a constable with the Bharat Nagar Police Station. On May 5 last year, Kumar complained of breathlessness, fever and cough following which he was immediately rushed to a hospital where he was declared brought dead. Kumar's report came Covid positive on May 6. Days later, Pooja and her three-year-old son Viaan had also tested positive.

Significantly, two days after his death, Chief Minister Kejriwal posted a tweet stating, "Amitji did not care for his life and kept serving us Delhi people. He got infected with corona and passed away. I pay homage to him on behalf of all the Delhites. His family shall be given an ex-gratia of Rs. 1 crore". Thereafter, the CM office also tweeted, confirming the amount.

However, more than a year later, during which Pooja was made to run from pillar to post, from writing letters to several government officers to visiting their offices, her attempts have hit a roadblock and she has now moved court seeking immediate disbursal of the promised amount.

In her petition, Pooja, who recently lost her job as an MCD school teacher, has stated she has been running from pillar to post and has gone to the corridors of the Delhi Secretariat umpteen number of times to find the status of her matter "but had met with no response and in fact, she has been ill treated".

A single-judge bench of Justice Amit Bansal has issued notice to the Delhi government on the plea and listed the case for further hearing on July 23.

Speaking to Millennium Post from her parents' home in Haryana's Sonepat, Pooja lamented that moving the High Court was her last resort as she has made her best attempts throughout the year trying to find the status of the amount and she has only been told that the file is being forwarded between departments

"I have tried every avenue but have received no response from anyone...the CM didn't provide us the money despite promising it publicly...a lot of people are saying that it's been a year and now nothing will work out, the judiciary is our only hope left now," Pooja said.

Pooja further said that she was told that since Delhi Police comes under the Central government, the state has no role to play and can't provide the money. "There were reports that the Delhi government has already released an ex-gratia of Rs. 1 crore to the kin of a few teachers of government schools, then why not us, even after a year?" Pooja asked, adding that she is now preparing for and hoping to clear a test to get inducted into the Delhi Police force.