Rape victims to get compensation of Rs 3 lakh

New Delhi, Jul 7: Rape victims will get will a compensation of at least Rs 3 lakh, restorative support of Rs 50,000 and a provision for interim relief of Rs 20,000 within 15 days of the incident, said the Delhi High Court on Jul 6.

The court has asked the Centre to nail down and send a word on the scheme within six weeks.

Apart from that, the women and child development ministry said that it plans to target "restorative justice" in the form of medical and legal assistance, counselling, shelter and various support services.

The victims be it a minor girl, a women or members of their family can have access to the relief. IN Special cases where the affected are minor girls, handicapped women or mentally challenged, suffering from HIV/AIDS or STDs, the total compensation can go upto 5 lakhs.

The relief can be paid within three weeks after a victim files an application with the district board. The ministry taking an humanistic approach has stretched the time period to 60 days from the date of filing an FIR to an application.

The police have also been instructed to forward the reports of investigation and medical certificate within 72 hours. The district can also pay the relief of Rs 20, 000 after the preliminary inquiry within 15 days or at the max in 3 weeks time.

The final amount of Rs 3 lakh can be directly paid to the victim within a month from the date of which the victim gives an attestation in the criminal trial and then within a year of filing an FIR.

“The matter has to be taken up with all seriousness as a case of this nature requires attention for the purpose of enabling rape victims to be rehabilitated both socially as well as mentally because the anguish, the agony and the trauma suffered by a rape victim is absolutely immeasurable," the court had said.

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