Rs.50 lakh compensation paid to<br> Senegal envoy's deceased driver's kin

New Delhi 11 June 2004

A full compensation of Rs. 50,00,000/- (Fifty lakh) has been paid to Bhagwanti mother of Dilver Lal, the driver of a Senegal diplomat who died on 24 May 2003.
Smt. Bhagwanti had approached the National Human Rights Commission alleging that her son Shri Dilver Lal was murdered at Hotel Taj Place, New Delhi during Africa Day Celebration's by the son of a Senegal Diplomat in whose service he was working as a driver.
The Commission sent a copy of the complaint to the Ministry of External Affairs, (MEA) Government of India, for comments with a request that MEA communicate to the Commission whether any compensation can be paid to the next of kin of the deceased.
On 22 Aug. 2003, the Ministry of External Affairs informed the Commission that the Government of India was willing to take-up the issue of compensation on behalf of the deceased driver's family with the Government of Senegal, since the deceased Dilver Lal was the sole bread earner of the family.
Appreciating the stand taken by the MEA, the Commission said that it would like to be informed of the result of the efforts of the Government of India in this direction.
The External Affairs Ministry in its letter dated 30 April 2004 informed the Commission that the Embassy of Senegal has paid Dilver Lal;s mother a full compensation of Rs. 50 lakh on 10th October 2003.
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