To assist the alleged rape victims of Jat reservation agitation, Punjab and Haryana High Court on Thursday said the suffering families can lodge their complaints in Haryana.
Taking up the suo-motu notice as public interest litigation, the Bench of Justice Satish Kumar Mittal and Justice Harinder Singh Sidhu said it would be open for the sufferers of sexual assault “by arsonists/protesters at any place in Haryana” to submit sealed complaint to the Chief Judicial Magistrate-cum-Secretary, District legal Services Authority in person, through relative, post or e-mail.
Widening the scope of the suo motu case to cover all categories of victims in Murthal fields, the High Court has made it clear that victims suffering from damage to shops, showrooms, vehicles, schools, factories or other movable and immovable properties too would be at liberty to approach the CJM. In its order, the High Court has said that the complaint registered with the authorities would be forwarded to the police and for pursuing the matter. The victims’ identity would not be disclosed.
Directing to set up a help desk at every district legal service authority, especially for victims of the recent protests, High Court has directed the State to pass on relief measures through district legal service authorities. The legal services authorities “would be duty bound to assist the victims in choosing the action to be taken, helping them with the same and then pursuing their matters…”
The victims not being given their dues by the insurance companies too would be at liberty to approach the CJM. “The legal services authorities, in turn, would help the victims by pursuing their matters with the Insurance Companies and providing them legal aid…” Seeking separate detailed reports from Director General of Police and Home Secretary on the alleged reports of sexual assault on the women commuters, the bench categorically asserted the incident was extremely shameful for the government.
The State Advocate-General, however, asserted that no such incident had come to light. He added top administrative officials visited the area and even interacted with the villagers. But no one could confirm the occurrence.
Disinclined to buy the argument of the government, the Bench asserted the report in media has made it clear that the victims were asked to go, instead of being helped out by the police and the administrative officials. The act was unfortunate and reprehensible.
Expressing a need for thorough investigation of the matter, the Bench said that people’s faith in the system would be eroded, if stern action was not taken.
Justice Naresh Kumar Sanghi had taken suo motu cognizance of the incident reported in media. The report said women passengers were stopped on the national highway in the wee hours of Monday in Murthal in Sonepat district. They were dragged out into the nearby fields and raped.