How can compensation be denied when the cause of death in the forest is clearly established by a post-mortem certificate? The Calcutta High Court questioned this and directed the state government to pay a compensation of Rs 5 lakhs to a widow named Sasi Bala. She filed a petition after the government rejected her claim for compensation, stating that her husband was killed in a tiger attack in the Sundarbans.

The government's order stipulates that compensation can only be granted if the appropriate authority certifies that the death was due to a tiger attack. In this case, the widow had produced a post-mortem certificate that established the cause of death as a tiger attack.

The High Court dismissed the argument put forth by the forest department, which claimed that there was no record of a tiger attack in their records. The Court said that when there is a valid post-mortem certificate, the claim cannot be rejected.

The department argued that the widow's husband had violated the law by entering the core area of the forest without permission. However, the High Court asserted that he had entered the forest for his livelihood, and even if there was a violation of the law, it should be considered in the context of his circumstances.

The High Court also stated that when the government's circular was in effect, certifying that death due to a tiger attack was established, the department should not make baseless arguments to deny compensation.