Unregulated acid sale: HC to see if SC ruling implemented

Saurabh Malik

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 19

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has made clear its intent to examine whether or not the Supreme Court judgment regarding unregulated sale of acid is being implemented meticulously in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh.

As a petition for compensation filed by a victim came up for resumed hearing before Justice Rajan Gupta’s Bench, amicus curiae (friend of the court) Ravi Kamal Gupta submitted that it was required to be clarified whether the directions laid down by the Supreme Court in the case of “Laxmi versus the Union of India” were being followed by Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh in letter and spirit. Taking note of the submission, Justice Gupta fixed the case for further consideration on this issue on January 28.

The Supreme Court had directed the Secretaries in the Ministry of Home Affairs and in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to take up the issue of banning the sale of acid across the counter with state governments and union territories for ensuring issuance of an appropriate notification.

The Supreme Court had added that some states and union territories had already issued such a notification, but all states and union territories were required to issue such a notification at the earliest.

Justice Gupta’s Bench, during the course of hearing, was also told that entire expenses for treatment of the petitioner-victim at a Gurugram hospital would be borne by the state. The Bench was also told that the petitioner had already undergone surgery.

The victim had approached the High Court for compensation after acid was thrown on her face on April 6, 2006, when she was returning home with four other girls. The Faridabad police had failed to arrest the involved and filed an untraced report. The cancellation report was also accepted by the area magistrate concerned.

Justice Gupta, on a previous date of hearing, had directed the presence of a CBI official to for assisting the court. Justice Gupta had added that the issue in such cases should not be confined to giving compensation to the victims and the emphasis was required to be placed on punishing the culprits responsible for such inhuman crimes.

During the course of hearing, Justice Gupta had noticed that not only had the victim been denied compensation, but proper investigation had also not been conducted into the case.

Apex court judgment

• Supreme Court had directed ministries of Home, Health to take up the issue of banning sale of acid across the counter with state governments and union territories for ensuring notification
• The Supreme Court said some states and union territories had already issued such a notification, but all states and union territories were required to issue such a notification at the earliest.