Next kin to get family pension, if spouse charged with murder of employee

The Union government has amended a decades-old policy of suspending family pension to the spouse of a deceased government employee when he/she is charged with murdering the employee or abetting the commission of such an offence.

Under the new rule, other eligible members of the family would be entitled to receive the family pension till the disposal of the criminal proceedings against the spouse of the deceased employee. In case, the spouse is proved not guilty of the murder charge, the family pension would be payable to him/her from the date of acquittal.

In accordance with the provisions under the Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1972, if a person who is eligible to receive family pension on death of a government employee or a pensioner is charged with offences of murdering the government employee/pensioner or for abetting in the commission of such an offence, the payment of family pension shall remain suspended till the conclusion of the criminal proceedings.

In such cases, family pension is neither paid to the person who is charged with the offence nor to any other eligible member of the family till the conclusion of the case.

If at the conclusion of the criminal proceedings the person concerned is convicted for the murder or abetment of the murder of a government servant, he/she would be debarred from receiving the family pension.

Read the full article at The Hindu