Cuddalore Freedom fighter charges Centre with contempt of court

 An octogenerian, awarded freedom fighter pension by the Madras High Court about a year ago, has charged the Centre with contempt of court for not complying with the court's direction. When the contempt petition filed by 84-year-old R Kannan ofSemmandalam in Cuddalore came up, Justice S Tamilvanan ordered notice to the Union Home Secretary, returnable in four weeks. Kannan, who claimed that he was imprisoned during the freedom struggle in 1942, had moved the court after his application to the Union government in 1980 for Swatantra Sainik Samman pension was rejected. In August last year the court had directed the Centre to grant freedom fighter's pension to Kannan from the date of his application with an interest at the rate of 12 per cent, within eight weeks. As no action had been taken by the Centre till date, Kannan filed the contempt petition.