The Supreme Court has awarded Rs 15 lakh compensation to a rape victim who is deaf and dumb and who secured an order from the Himachal Pradesh High Court directing the State Government to award her a compensation of Rs 30000 every month for life.
Making it a one-time payment, the apex Bench of Justices J Chelameswar and Sanjay Kishan Kaul said, “In the circumstances, we deem it appropriate to modify the order of the High Court (on June 29, 2016) insofar as it pertains to the payment of compensation to the victim by directing the State to deposit an amount of Rs 15 lakh in an interest bearing fixed deposit in the name of the victim in any nationalized bank in consultation with the Member-Secretary of the Himachal Pradesh State legal Services Authority.”
The Court took note of the fact that the victim suffered 80 per cent disability and on account of the rape also gave birth to a child, whose responsibility came upon her. The Bench felt that the interest accrued in the fixed deposit could be withdrawn each month and given to the parents of the victim who will ensure that the amount is spent on the welfare of the victim.
The order came on an appeal filed by the Himachal Pradesh Government stating that there existed no scheme to pay compensation to rape victims for their entire life. The HC, while dismissing the appeal of convict Rajneesh alias Vicky, had said that the victim was in a doubly disadvantageous position since she had to maintain her and the baby. The incident occurred on December 26, 2013 in Hamirpur, HP.