The distraught parents of techie Pawan Kumar, who had earlier refused to sign the documents required to fly down his body from the US, finally have agreed to do so. However, the relatives have warned that if all documents and belongings of Pawan are not released to the family, they will stage a protest with Pawan’s body before the office of Cognizant at Nagawara near Hebbal.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Pawan’s uncle Mr K.P. Gopalakrishna said “We have agreed to sign the documents on the condition that we get the death note along with the body. The company had informed us that it would take at least 18 weeks for them to process all the official documents. However, once the body is brought back we are planning to take the body directly from the airport and stage a protest in front of Cognizant. The company has to make sure that Pawan’s name is cleared from criminal records. We want the investigation reports and the details.”
Though the family wanted the company to give them compensation, Cognizant had made it clear that it is only in control of paying out some of the statutory benefits such as provident fund and gratuity, and will pay them once the necessary processes are completed. “Pawan had served the company for five years. He put in all his hard work, so, if on humanitarian grounds the company would give the parents some amount, it would be good since Pawan was the only source of income for the family,” said Mr Gopalakrishna Pawans’ father Mr Anjaiah, “At least once the body comes back we will be able to go ahead with the last rites. I am sure that my son had not committed the crime that he is accused of. All we want from the company is to make sure that they hand over the investigation documents. “We are not saying that the police investigation in the US would be biased; we will accept whatever conclusion the authorities there come to. We want a detailed investigation report so that we won’t have to live in the dark for the rest of our lives,” said Mr Anjaiah.