Employee’s Murder Does Not Disentitle Legal Heirs From Compensation Under Employees’ Compensation Act: Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court has in FAO 56/2016 and CM APPL.11273/2019 reiterated that murder of an employee during the course of his employment does not disentitle his heirs from seeking compensation under the provisions of the Employees’ Compensation Act, 1923. Although the Hon’ble High Court agreed that the claimants failed to establish employer-employee relationship, it observed that the Labor Commissioner had erred in holding that the deceased’s murder during the course of performance of his duties had no connection with his employment. However, as employer-employee relationship was not established by the claimants, the appeal was dismissed.