India, June 25 -- A 76-year-old Chembur resident has been running from pillar to post to secure his due reward from the government for exposing a widespread tax evasion racket run by officers of public sector oil companies and fishermen cooperatives. Although rewards are promised for informers, in Darshan Singh Parmar's case, it was not kept. Instead he was kept waiting despite giving the sales tax department a tip-off that led to the recovery of Rs.361 crore towards taxes, as claimed by him.

Parmar had exposed the racket in August 1996. On Tuesday, 29 years later, the Bombay high court had to step in to finally give him his due. The court first rapped the state for the inordinate delay in paying the due reward to the 76-year-old and fro...