Madras HC Orders Immediate Disbursement Of Outstanding Compensation To People Affected By STF That Hunted Veerappan

Chennai: The Madras High Court has ordered the Tamil Nadu government to immediately release the outstanding compensation of Rs. 2.59 crore to the people affected by the Special Task Force (STF) operation during its drive to nab forest brigand Veerappan.

Complaints were filed with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) alleging that the Tamil Nadu and Karnataka STF personnel involved in the operation to nab Veerappan had committed human rights violations by sexually assaulting women in the hill villages and torturing men in the name of investigation.

After investigating the complaints, the NHRC had ordered the Tamil Nadu government to pay Rs 5 crore compensation to the victims of the STF. On accordance with this order, while the Tamil Nadu government had paid Rs 1,20,50.000 to 38 victims, the NHRC ordered the payment of the outstanding amount of Rs 3,79,00,000 crore. A case was filed in the Madras High Court by the Chief Secretary of the Tamil Nadu government against this order.

The case came up for hearing on Tuesday before a bench comprising Chief Justice MM Srivastava and Justice G. Arulmurugan. The Tamil Nadu government stated that Rs. 1,20,50,000 had already been released as the second instalment. The government also explained that basic facilities, including infrastructure, have been provided in the areas where the affected people live at a cost of Rs 8 crore.

However, the judges pointed out that it is the government's duty to establish infrastructure and basic facilities even after paying the compensation. The judges expressed dissatisfaction over the failure to pay the outstanding compensation amount even after a year and observed that this is an act of contempt of court. They also noted that there is a reason to take contempt of court action against the relevant officials for this.

Later, the Court ordered the Chief Secretary of the Tamil Nadu government to pay the remaining Rs 2.59 crore to the victims. It also ordered the Tamil Nadu government to file a report within four weeks on the payment of the outstanding compensation amount and adjourned the hearing to December 4, 2025.

The Court expressed dissatisfaction with the Tamil Nadu government for filing a case against the payment of Rs 2.59 crore to the affected people. They said the compensation amount paid to the victims is people's money and not government money. The judges observed that the government is only a trustee of the people's money. Vidiyal People Welfare Foundation was the organisation that had taken up the case on behalf of the victims.

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