In Brief
A young widow challenged the death of her husband, Someswar Gayari, after army personnel allegedly took him into custody in 2003 and his body was later found. A High Court inquiry determined he died while in army custody, not in an encounter as claimed, and directed CBI investigation and Rs. 3 lakhs compensation. The Government appealed. The Supreme Court dismissed the appeal, upheld the CBI investigation order, and enhanced compensation to Rs. 5 lakhs under Article 142, finding a prima facie violation of the constitutional right to life and doing justice to the deceased's widow and minor children."
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