The state government has been directed by the Allahabad High Court to pay Rs five lakh as compensation to the wife and two daughters of high lawyer SK Awasthi who died in jail.

Mr. Awasthi died on May 13, 2008 due to ill-treatment by the authorities of the Central Jail, Naini.

A bench comprising Justice Ashok Bhushan and Justice Vineet Saran passed the order on a writ petition the lawyer's father RN Awasthi, who had prayed for compensation and service to the dependants of his son.

The Bench, which consists of Justices Ashok Bhushan and Vineet Saran, ordered the government to pay the compensation within a period of 30 days to Awasthi’s family.

The Bench passed the order following a writ appeal filed by R N Awasthi, the deceased’s father.

Moreover, the court has also given a time period of four months to the state government in order to conclude the disciplinary measures pending against the staff and officers of Central Jail, and file a copy of the action taken before the registrar general of the high court.

The court noticed that the state was duty bound to defend the fundamental rights of each person lodged in jails.

While passing the order, the judges said the state government can recover the compensation from the erring officials.