The Calcutta High Court has ordered the West Bengal government to provide compensation to Durga Prasad Timsina who was incarcerated without court trial for almost 41 years.
A joint bench of Justices Prakash Srivastav and Rajarshi Bhardwaj on Wednesday ordered the government to transfer IRs 500,000 to the bank account of Timsina within six weeks, according to advocate Hirak Sinha who fought his case.
Secretary Ambarish Nag of West Bengal Amateur Radio Club, that played an important role in getting Timsina released, called the court's verdict positive. "Durga Prasad has got compensation, albeit small, after a long fight. This is positive," he told Setopati.
Timsina, 62 now, was first arrested in Darjeeling in May 1980 on charge of murder. He spent almost 41 years in different prisons in the Indian state of West Bengal without a court trial. He returned to his home in Lumbak, Ilam in March after being released by the Calcutta High Court.
The financial status of his family is weak. He is currently at Manav Sewa Aashram in Biratnagar after facing problem in integration with the society and family having spent more than four decades behind the bars.
His 87-year-old mother is currently ill, according to his nephew Gopal Prasad Timsina. "We had given up hope after not receiving any compensation for almost a year despite being jailed for over 40 years without court trial," Gopal stated. "We feel glad after hearing that the court has ordered reparation today. This compensation is very little considering the injustice he suffered. This has given hope that there will be justice as the final verdict has yet to arrive."
