Bonded labour: 3-year RI for rice mill owner

Chennai: The Madras high court has convicted and sentenced a rice mill owner to under go three years rigorous imprisonment for an offence under the provisions of the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act for engaging 6 persons as bonded labourers by paying a meagre amount and harassing them when they demanded minimum wages and attempt to go out of the mill.

Allowing an appeal filed by Manjula, one of the victims, Justice P.Velmurugan has directed the police to secure the accused Selvakumar, a rice mill owner and confine him in Central prison, Puzhal to undergo the sentence imposed on him by this court.

According to appellant, on a complaint filed by her stating Selvakumar, owner of a rice mill in Thirukazhukundram, engaged her and other victims as bonded labourers by advancing a meagre sum of Rs 3,000 and extracted more work by paying meagre salary and when they demanded minimum salary and attempted to go out of the mill, he harassed them and confined them in the mill itself, the police registered a case.

The Revenue Divisional Officer, Chengalpet and the Tahsildar went to the mill, rescued the bonded labourers and issued release certificate. However, the Principal sessions judge, Chengalpet, Kancheepuram district acquitted him from the charges leveled against him. Therefore, she filed the present appeal, she added.

Convicting and sentencing the accused, Justice Velmurugan said the prosecution has proved the charges leveled against the accused beyond reasonable doubts.

At the time of visit of Tahsildar and RDO, at the mill belonging to Selvakumar, they had witnessed that the appellant and other victims were working as bonded labourers and after getting permission from the government, the RDO issued release certificate and also rehabilitation papers. Therefore, through the evidence of the victims and further evidence of tahsildar and RDO, the prosecution has proved its case beyond reasonable doubts, the judge added.

Directing the accused to pay a compensation of Rs 50,000 to the victim (appellant), the judge said the accused was also directed to pay compensation of Rs 50,000 each to other victims, who have been released by the RDO by way of release certificate.