Vigilant senior citizen awarded ₹19L for exposing corruption

A 76-year-old Chembur resident has been running from pillar to post to secure his due reward from the government for exposing a widespread tax evasion racket run by officers of public sector oil companies and fishermen cooperatives.

- HT Correspondent

MUMBAI:

Although rewards are promised for informers, in the case of Darshan Singh Parmar, it was not kept. Instead, he was kept waiting despite giving the sales tax department a tip-off that led to the recovery of ₹361 crore towards taxes, as claimed by him.

Parmar had exposed the racket in August 1996. On Tuesday, 29 years on, the Bombay high court had to step in to finally give him his dues. The court first rapped the state for the inordinate delay in paying the due reward to the 76-year-old and frowned upon the authorities concerned for forcing the Chembur resident to make rounds of their offices. The court then ordered the state government to pay him ₹19.44 lakh within six weeks.

Taking note of the petitioner's plea for a higher reward, the division bench of justice MS Sonak and justice Jitendra Jain directed the state sales tax commissioner and the finance secretary to determine in six months the precise amount payable to him, and pay the amount in two months thereafter.