Money (25 Lakhs) Deposited By Lawyer For Migrants' Travel Can Be Disbursed To Families Of Five Migrants Who Died While Travelling Back Home : SC

The direction has been issued in the plea, filed by Advocate-on-Record Ejaz Maqbool, which sought for directions to provide safe transportation of migrant workers in Mumbai, particularly those hailing from Sant Kabir Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, in order to put an end to their suffering caused by various attempts to reach home.

Khan, in order to show bonafide intention, had agreed to submit a sum of Rs. 25 lakhs in the Registry of the Supreme Court, toward the cost of travel of the migrants belonging to districts of Basti and Sant Kabir Nagar, irrespective of their caste, creed and religion. It was further contended that as Khan himself was a migrant, he was well-versed with the plight of the migrants who had been left to fend for themselves in the midst of the national lockdown imposed in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Today, the Supreme Court Bench comprising of Justices Ashok Bhushan, SK Kaul and MR Shah, noted that the Petitioner had deposited the Rs. 25 lakhs in the SC Registry, as had been duly averred in his plea.

Senior Advocate Sanjay Hegde, on behalf of the Petitioner, submitted to the Bench that as most of the migrants had reached their home, the money which had been deposited by Petitioner for the welfare of the migrant workers must be disbursed as compensation to families of those migrant workers who had died during the crisis.

An IA had also been filed in this regard which stated that the Petitioner had put on record for compensation five migrant workers who had met the fate of horrific death in their attempt to reach home and that the money deposited should be disbursed to the families of those five individuals.

The Bench noted that particulars of those five families must be provided to the SC Registry within two weeks. Accordingly, after requisite verification, the SC Registry would send the money to the Legal Service Authority of the district which would then disburse the amount to the concerned families.

In light of the above direction, the petition was disposed of.