Delhi High Court Orders Bank to Pay Manager for Foiling 1998 Gunpoint Robbery

2:02 AM ETDeveloping

Health Desk

In Short: In a landmark ruling, the Delhi High Court has ordered a bank to pay a manager over Rs 2.50 lakh for his bravery in thwarting a Rs 40 lakh robbery in 1998.

The manager, Surjit Singh, triggered the emergency alarm and physically blocked the robbers, forcing them to abandon most of the loot.

The court recognized his extraordinary courage, noting that his actions could have resulted in a posthumous commendation if he had not acted.

Despite the bank's claim that he was only performing his duty, the court acknowledged the bravery and presence of mind required to save lives and the cash.

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Recognising his efforts, the High Court ordered the bank to pay him over Rs 2.50 lakh along with interest.
Justice Neena Bansal Krishna was acting on the plea of the bank manager who had requested and had been recommended for “out-of-turn” promotion as per the 1991 guidelines of the Department of Economic Affairs (Banking Division), regarding “compensation to bank employees who actively resist bank robberies and terrorist attacks on banks” but was denied by the bank, saying that he was “only performing his duty”.
On the fateful day of December 28, 1998, at about 1 pm, an “unprecedented incident” of robbery occurred at the bank when five robbers carrying automatic weapons entered the bank, threatened the staff and customers and started looting the Rs 40 lakh cash that was lying at the counter and in the chest.
The cabin in which the manager was sitting was also surrounded by the robbers, but he picked up the telephone to seek help.
The high court observed that “the courage inspired by the dedication and concern for the safety of the customers and the cash attempted to be robbed, needs to be acknowledged, given the fact that any resistance as shown by the petitioner, could have triggered the robbers to shoot the petitoner (the manager). What would have then followed, is probably a posthumous Commendatory Certificate and few words of empty sympathy to the family members”.
According to the court “such act of bravery and presence of mind has ironically been termed by the Bank, as a part of his duty. It is not only a trivialisation of the extraordinary and exemplary courage shown by the Petitioner, but is almost an insult to a person, who had put his life at risk”.
Surjit Singh, who was then a senior manager at bank’s Roshan Pura, Najafgarh Branch, demonstrated extraordinary courage after five armed men stormed a Delhi branch of the bank, forcing staff to hand over Rs 40 lakh.
Being a “high-risk branch”, two armed guards were provided for the safety of the bank and the customers.

Sources

The Indian Expresslink