The Supreme Court has ordered the Army to pay a compensation of ₹ 50 lakh to a former personnel who was dismissed from service more than two decades ago following an incorrect diagnosis of AIDS by its doctors.
The court castigated the Army for its “apathetic attitude” towards Satyanand Singh, 50, a havildar, who was terminated in 2001.
Singh was inducted into the force on October 30, 1993 and was declared HIV positive six years later. He was dismissed when he was just 27.
The former soldier was wrongly diagnosed with AIDS by Army doctors and was dismissed from service more than 20 years ago. The soldier battled a protracted legal battle and suffered from mental trauma and social stigma.
Suffering from psychological distress, job loss, social disgrace, and impending death, Singh pursued his legal case in every court conceivable, including the Supreme Court, High Court, and Armed Forces Tribunal.
The court determined that it was appropriate to provide Singh with financial compensation after taking into account his situation, which his employer neglected to address, the fact that he was not currently eligible for reinstatement in the service, and the “psychological, financial, and physical trauma” he endured.
