Stories

Tue, 17 Mar 2026

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 Another former sub postmaster dies awaiting payout

Tributes are paid to Parmod Kalia who ran a branch in Orpington, who has died aged 67.
A former sub-postmaster who spent six months in prison after being wrongly convicted in the Post Office Horizon IT scandal has passed away without receiving full compensation. Parmod Kalia, 67, was accused of theft and later had his conviction overturned, but claimed the ordeal "broke him". He ran a branch in Orpington, south-east London for 11 years before his conviction and was a foster carer who brought "calmness and warmth" to those around him. His friend Tim Brentnall described Kalia as a kind and wonderful man who was proud of being able to provide love and stability to the children in his care. Despite having his conviction quashed, Kalia did not receive full compensation for malicious prosecution due to a Post Office decision that there was a "reasonable prospect of conviction" if there had been a retrial. A group of MPs has now criticized Fujitsu for not contributing to the nearly £1.5bn redress bill and called for urgent action to quash pre-Horizon convictions. Kalia's family will have to continue his fight for justice, dealing with both their grief and the Post Office scandal.