RASHMI HANDA Vs. OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY (INDIA) LTD.

JUDGEMENT

(1.) FAME and power driven with the ulterior motive of greed, leads to devastation. To us here, death is the most terrible thing, we know. We understand 'death ', for the first time, when he (death) puts his hand upon one, whom we love.

(2.) THE facts of this unfortunate case, are these. Mr.Vipin Handa, aged about 46 years, who was working as Director, lost his life in tragic circumstances. The OTIS, OP1 installed Elevator in CGO Complex, in December, 2001. On 20.03.2003, at about 10.40AM, a meeting of senior officers concluded on the 11th Floor of Research Analysis Wing (RAW) office in the CGO Complex at Lodhi Road, New Delhi. Lift No.6 is reserved for the officers of the level of Joint Secretary and above. During the second trip, Down, in the lift, Mr.Vipin Handa was one of the few officers who were in the Elevator. Approximately, at about 10.45AM, the lift abruptly stopped between 6th and 7th Floor. The operator in the lift informed the lift operator in the control room that the lift had stopped. Three persons from the control room reached the 7th Floor, opened the lift door on the 7th floor with a manual key and spoke with the operator inside. They asked all the occupants to await their return to begin the rescue operation, locked the lift door again and left. Two men went up to the Machine Room on the 11th Floor, switched off the main supply Miniature Circuit Breaker (MCB) and returned to the 7th Floor. They opened the lift door again, manually, and began helping the officers stranded in the lift to climb on to the 7th floor. The First Officer was rescued successfully.

(3.) MR . Vipin Handa was selected by Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Central Excise Group A) in the year 1980 and was posted to the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence under the Ministry of Finance, from 1987 -2000. He was appointed as First Secretary to the Embassy of India in the United States of America, in the year 1995. He was also posted as Counsellor in the High Commission of India in Islamabad. During his posting at Pakistan, Mr.Vipin Handa was expelled from Pakistan after a period of approximately 18 months. Thereafter, Mr.Handa was assigned to Research and Analysis Wing under the Cabinet Secretariat where his death occurred. He was also awarded the Uttam Seva Praman Patra posthumously by the Government of India for the year 2003 and got other meritorious certificates from various other Departments.