SC allows Lawyer to deposit ₹25 lakh in Court Registry towards Migrants Travel Expenses

On Thursday, the Supreme Court directed a Mumbai-based lawyer to deposit Rs 25 lakh with the apex court registry, which he has offered for the travel of migrant workers from Mumbai to their native places in Uttar Pradesh amid Covid-19 pandemic.

A bench comprising of Justice Ashok Bhushan, Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice M R Shah directed that lawyer Sagheer Ahmed Khan deposit the amount with registry in the name of secretary general of the top court within a week, which could be used for the travel of migrant workers.

During the hearing, conducted via video conferencing, Khan told the top court that he has a bona fide concern for the migrant workers and wanted to deposit Rs 25 lakh with the apex court for their travel to native places and the amount can be used as train fare.

The bench asked the petitioner as to why can't he deposit the amount with the state government or PM Cares fund. He said he specifically wants that the amount be used for the travel of migrant workers from Mumbai to Sant Kabir Nagar and other places in Uttar Pradesh.

The Top Court listed the matter for further hearing on June 12.

On May 15, the top court had sought responses from the Centre and the governments of Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra on a plea of Khan seeking directions to provide safe and secure means of transportation to migrants travelling from Mumbai to their native places amid COVID-19 pandemic.

The Apex Court asked these states to apprise it about the steps being taken by the concerned authorities to assist these migrants.
Khan's counsel had earlier told the court that there were no means for these people to go back to their native places in Uttar Pradesh from Mumbai and they were unable to access the mechanism laid down to apply for availing transport facility.
He had said that the government must engage people at lower level and they cannot have just one nodal officer for a district.

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