New Delhi, March 22
The President of India granted him enhanced pension after he won a case in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, but the Army allegedly took it back after filing an appeal against the High Court verdict in the Supreme Court.
This is what Capt Chanan Singh (retd), a resident of Ropar district of Punjab, alleges. Protesting against this “unfair action”, today he, along with three other retired Army men, burnt their artificial limbs in front of Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate in the Capital
Capt Chanan Singh told The Tribune that not only did the Army withdraw the Rs 3.63 lakh pension arrears that was sanctioned to him after a long legal struggle of almost 27 years from a Punjab National Bank branch in Sector 17, Chandigarh, the bank also asked him to return the money, amounting to about Rs 40,000, that he had already spent from the amount, with interest.
Meanwhile, when questioned about the incident at a reception function for gallantry award winners today, the Army chief, Gen J.J. Singh, said all disability cases were decided as per Government of India rules, adding that in case there was any scope for change, they would be put forth before the government.
As per Capt Chanan Singh, the arrears were granted to him on August 23, 2005, and withdrawn after five days on August 28. “My plea is can the Army take back the pension arrears from the bank even after the Supreme Court has not stayed the operation of the High Court order,” he asked.
He also wanted to know how the Army could have filed an SLP against the High Court verdict in the Supreme Court, especially when the President of India had asked it to pay the pension arrears for the entire period he served in the Army and not just till the time he suffered the disability.
“Number two, the bank happens to be the custodian of my money. They could have sealed the account and stopped me from operating it any further. Instead, the manager of the PNB branch returned the money to the Army accounts without informing me and also told me to return the money I had withdrawn with interest,” Capt Chanan Singh alleged.
While he was posted at the Tibet border in 1970, Capt Chanan Singh lost his right arm following a severe injury in a land-slide accident in which an officer and another Army man were killed. Suffering from 80 per cent permanent disability, he was allowed to serve in the Army and released in June, 1978. However, his pension was computed till November 22, 1970, the day the accident took place. After he approached the High Court, the Army was asked to pay him pension as per the entire period he had served in the Army.
Today 63-year-old Capt Chanan Singh (retd), along with Capt Reet Inder Singh VRC (retd) from Nabha , Capt K.J.S. Bhuttar (retd) from Ambala and Capt Bhagwan Singh Jodha (retd) from Jaipur, who also claim to be suffering from the same problem tried to register their protest in this unique way.
Capt Chanan Singh said they were also in the process of serving a legal notice on the Chief of Army Staff, the Defence Secretary, the branch manager of the Punjab National Bank branch concerned and others.
