Would 50 lakhs be adequate compensation for a life without Chandrabose?

Hummer Nisham asked to shell out to Chandrabose’s family
Would 50 lakhs be adequate compensation for a life without Chandrabose?
Would 50 lakhs be adequate compensation for a life without Chandrabose?

As Malayalam writer and sociologist Indu Menon puts it: “The Court must have had its reasons to arrive at that particular sum based on actual calculations of the life-term earnings of the deceased, had he been alive. Looking at it from that perspective, 50 lakhs would surely go a long way in easing the financial burdens of the family.”

Beedi tycoon Mohammed Nisham was handed the life sentence by the Thrissur District Sessions Court after he was found guilty of the murder of Chandrabose, a security guard at a luxury apartment complex in Thrissur.

The court asked Nisham to pay damages worth Rs 80 lakhs, of which Rs 50 lakhs will be handed over to the victim’s family. Public Prosecutor Udayabhanu had asked for Rs 5 crores as compensation for the family.

She however goes on to add: “But a father or a husband, any family-member be it a mother, daughter, son, brother or sister cannot be seen as a mere money-making machine. It is their actual presence in our lives that adds joy and gives meaning to life as a whole. So in that sense, no amount of money in this world could ever compensate for the loss of a dear one.”

Well-known writer Sara Joseph on the other hand was outright in her displeasure with the sum mentioned. "Why has the court given only Rs. 50 lakhs to the family? Nisham according to what the Public Prosecutor said in court is worth Rs 5000 crores. After looking at the compensation and the fact that he has not been given the death sentence, I fear this sentence was in favour of Nisham," she told Asianet.

Speaking to The News Minute, a legal expert who did not wish to be named however opined: "Awarding any sort of compensation is left to the judge's discretion and it is normally calculated keeping in mind the age and financial status of the victim. Here, the judge could have denied compensation. Just because Nisham is rich, there is no law that says he should be made to pay more than what is warranted."

Even if one agrees with the sum or not, whether Nisham will actually shell out the compensation to Chandrabose’s family remains to be seen.

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