HYDERABAD, November 21: In a judgement of far reaching import, Justice B S Reddy of Andhra Pradesh High Court declared that the power exercised by the State Governors for granting clemency, pardons, etc, can be called in question before the High Court under Article 226 of the Constitution of India.

Justice Reddy while sustaining an order of pardon granted to two Andhra Bank officials convicted for illegally confining C Balakrishna, a customer of the bank, however, directed the bank to pay damages of Rs 2 lakh to the victim (Balakrishna) towards the ``suffering, humiliation and insult meted to him''.

The judge passed the orders recently in a writ petition filed by Balakrishna inter-alia stating that when he visited the main branch of Andhra Bank at Tirupati on June 8, 1992, he was paid Rs 1,800 by the bank officials towards encashment of a draft. After he reached his house, the manager and cashier of the bank accompanied by other employees came to his house and alleged that he was paid Rs 8,100 instead of Rs 1,800. The manager and the cashier confined the customer at his own house and later at the cabin of the manager in the bank illegally and he was freed only on the intervention of the local sub-inspector of police.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.