The Calcutta High Court is set to hear a decades-old case next week concerning unpaid financial assistance ordered for a sex worker from Kalighat nearly 25 years ago.
According to court sources, the matter is likely to come up on Monday before a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Partha Sarathi Sen.
The issue resurfaced after senior advocate Tapas Kumar Bhanj, who has served as a ‘court friend’ in several matters, wrote to the Chief Justice drawing attention to the pending compensation. He also mentioned the matter before the Chief Justice’s bench on Monday, stating that the woman is reportedly still alive. The Chief Justice subsequently assured that the case would be heard.
The origins of the case trace back to 1995. Allegations had surfaced that a police officer from a local police station sought to engage the services of a sex worker in Kalighat. When her bodyguard intervened, the officer allegedly detained him and assaulted him at the police station. The bodyguard later died.
The incident triggered protests at the time, including from then opposition leader Mamata Banerjee. In 1996, a public interest litigation was filed before the High Court seeking judicial intervention.
The then Justice S.B. Sinha entrusted the probe to the Alipore District Judge, whose report was later submitted before the High Court. On August 25, 2000, a Division Bench comprising Justices Ashok Kumar Mathur and Barin Ghosh directed that financial assistance be granted by deducting the salaries of the accused police personnel.
The court ordered Rs 40,000 to be paid to the family of the deceased bodyguard and Rs 20,000 to the sex worker. The amounts were directed to be deposited with the Registrar General of the Calcutta High Court for disbursement.
While the deceased’s family reportedly received their compensation, the sex worker could not be traced by the police at the time. As a result, her share of Rs 20,000 has remained deposited with the Registrar General for over two decades.
Recent information suggests that the woman is now living in Midnapore with a new family. Advocate Bhanj has urged the High Court to ensure that the long-pending financial assistance is finally disbursed to her.
The Division Bench is expected to take up the matter next week.
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