In an affidavit submitted before a division bench, comprising Justice Arun Kumar and Justice D K Jain, the MOD said, without specifying the actual sum, that the compensation was sanctioned by it as per the rules laid down in 1981.

But the amount could not be identical to that being paid to defence personnel in such cases, the affidavit said, adding that the defence personnel were governed by the service rules in the matter of payment of compensation in such mishaps which could not apply to civilians.

The affidavit came in reply to a petition seeking payment of the same compensation to three civilians killed in the crash of IAF's AN-32 aircraft at Pappankalan near the Indira Gandhi International Airport here on March 7.