Madurai: Madras High Court bench today directed the Principal secretary (Home) to pay a compensation of Rs 1.5 lakh to a HIV infected petitioner, who was forced to undergo imprisonment for more than six years in a criminal case though he was not connected with it at all.

Justice M Sathyanarayanan in his interim order said the petitioner Sathya was already suffering from HIV infection and needed to be treated, and should be given compensation in four weeks to meet his immediate medical expenses.