Bombay HC slams state for denying compensation to rape victim

Mumbai: The Bombay high court on Wednesday rapped the state government for not giving compensation to a 14-year-old rape survivor in 2015 under its Manodhairya scheme, saying it reflected a “heartless and ruthless” attitude. The HC was hearing petition filed by the girl who was not paid compensation on grounds that she was lured into having allegedly “consensual sex” by a man who had promised to marry her but later did not. The Manodhairya scheme, which was set up in 2013, seeks to provide monetary help of Rs 3 lakh to rape survivors and acid-attack victims and also arranges for their post-trauma counselling.

A division bench of Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice Girish Kulkarni, while hearing the matter, said that as per the Supreme Court’s directives, Rs 1 lakh must be given immediately after registering an FIR in a cases of rape and acid attack but in the petitioner’s case, the state did not give her the money and therefore its act was in violation of the apex court order. The HC said that the act amounted to contempt of court and if it would take action against any officer for it by sending him to jail, and then state would realise the gravity of its misconduct.

After the petition was filed, the state government gave the petitioner Rs 1 lakh. On the case’s last hearing, the court had rapped the state government when it had said the court that the girl seemed to have indulged in “consensual sex”. The HC said we don’t like the attitude of the government in this issue. Unless government does not start thinking and taking decisions in such matters from its heart and soul, nothing will happen” It is the government’s obligation to help such victims. They are not beggars or this is not charity. It is their (victims’) right. The HC has asked state to file an affidavit on how the board constituted under the scheme functions and how it takes decision on compensation.