HC orders Army to pay Rs two lakh compensation to rape victim

Imphal, Aug 13 (UNI) The Imphal Bench of Gauhati High Court has directed the Centre and Army authorities to pay Rs two lakh as compensation to a rape victim, a resident of Takyel Khongbal Khumanthem Leikai in Imphal West district.

The verdict was pronounced yesterday after the hearing of the case by Justice T Nandakumar Singh of Gauhati High Court, Imphal Bench.

As per the case, the two Mahar regiment of the Army was deployed in Manipur in 1996 for performing field duties as a part of Operation Sunny Vale in order to flush out insurgents from the valley areas.

Two personnel of the two Mahar regiment had intruded into the house of a woman and raped her on August 1, 1996.

Police enquired into the matter and found out that Havildar Apparao Mariba Waghmare and Havildar Vithal Domaji Kalane of the two Mahar Regiment had committed the crime.

Thereafter, the Army authorities convened a General Court Martial at Kangla and on June 5, 1997, after exhaustive trial, the two Havildars were convicted and sentenced to ten years imprisonment.

The rape victim approached the Army authorities and claimed monetary compensation. However, the Army authorities did not comply to the same.

Later, the rape victim filed a Writ Petition, at the initiative of the Human Rights Law Network (Manipur), in Gauhati High Court on April 28, 2003.

Accordingly, the High Court directed the Centre, represented by the Defence Secretary to the Government of India, the GOC, 57 Mountain Division, the Brigade Commander, Head Quarter, 44 Mountain Brigade and the Commanding Officer, two Mahar Regiment, to pay Rs two lakh to the rape victim as compensation within four months.

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