The Delhi high court has directed the now defunct Kingfisher Airlines to pay over Rs.52 lakh to a female ex-pilot, on her plea seeking outstanding salary for a period of 21 months.

Justice Jayant Nath ordered the grounded carrier to pay Rs.52,61,450 with nine percent interest to the pilot.

Taking note of a contract letter between the parties that showed the break-up of the salary of the pilot, the court allowed her plea and said: “The suit is accordingly decreed for the said sum of Rs.52,61,450 with costs.”

“Plaintiff (pilot) shall also be entitled to pendent lite interest at nine percent per annum from the date of filing of the suit till recovery.”

The pilot moved the high court last year through advocate MK Ghosh, saying the insecure financial environment had resulted in her suffering both professionally as well as financially.

The private airline has been grounded since October 2012.

The pilot joined Kingfisher in 2007 and her monthly salary was Rs.2.24 lakh but she was not paid any amount of salary from August 2012 to April 2014.

As a result, she had to undergo a lot of financial hardships and had to liquidate all her assets to support her family, the plea said.

Seeking her salary, the pilot said that despite various oral and written reminders as well as personal visits, the airlines neglected to make the outstanding payment to her.

“It is clear from the company’s conduct that it has no bonafide intentions to make the payment of the amount due to the plaintiff and it has absolutely no justifiable grounds for not making the payment of the outstanding amount, which has now been due for a long time,” the plea said.