The Supreme Court expressed concern over fake claims for getting ex-gratia compensation of Rs 50,000, meant for family members of those who have lost their lives due to Covid-19, saying it had never visualized that this can be "misused" and had thought that the "morality" has not gone so down.

The apex court said it may entrust inquiry into the matter to the accountant general's office. "We never expected and visualized that it can be misused also. It is a very pious work and we had thought that our morality has not gone so down that in this also, there will be some fake claims. We never visualised and thought this," a bench of Justices M R Shah and B V Nagarathna said. The bench, which had last week expressed concern over fake Covid-19 death certificates being issued for ex-gratia compensation and observed that it might order a probe into the issue, said if some officers are involved in such fake claims then it is a "very serious thing".