12 years on,retired IAF officer proves he is alive

Interestingly,it was Bagis wife Nasib Kaur and other family members who had got him declared dead.

After 12 years of sustained legal battle,a retired IAF officer finally got relief when a Patiala court agreed to his contention that he was alive.

Ruling in favour of Sital Singh Bagi,a sub-divisional court at Rajpura in Patiala set aside a court order of 1996 declaring the septuagenarian ex-serviceman as dead.

In two separate judgments pronounced last week,the copies of which were made available here on Thursday,the court also ordered restoration of Bagis pension and his ownership rights over 71 kanals of land,worth crores.

Interestingly,it was Bagis wife Nasib Kaur and other family members who had got him declared dead.

…Sital Singh is declared alive and entitled to get pension from IAF. He is also declared co-owner of the land…, the court said,while restraining Bagis wife,two sons and two daughters from alienating the property in any manner.

I am elated and grateful to the Almighty that I succeeded in proving myself alive, said Bagi,who was left homeless and penniless after his family got him declared dead.

Bagi retired from IAF on September 1,1986,after serving for 26 years. After retirement,he settled in New Delhi but after terrorists allegedly asked him to join them or face death,he left his family at his ancestral house in a Patiala village and went into hiding.

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In December 1998,he returned but his wife and children refused to recognise him and accept that he was alive.

Bagi went to IAF authorities for pension,where he found his name has been struck off the pension rolls as he was declared dead and that his wife was getting his pension.