Rs 5-lakh relief for sexual assault victim

Tribune News Service

Ambala, March 18

The District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), Ambala, today awarded Rs 5 lakh for the rehabilitation of a minor, who was sexually assaulted, under the Haryana Victim Compensation Scheme. The victim was three and a half years old when the incident took place.

Chief Judicial Magistrate-cum-Secretary, District Legal Services Authority, Danish Gupta, said the case was recommended for exploring the possibility of awarding compensation to the victim under the Haryana Victim Compensation Scheme by the court of Yashwinder Paul Singh, Additional Sessions Judge, Ambala.

Convict Ram Avtar has been prosecuted on the basis of the statement given by the victim’s mother before the police. She stated that the accused sexually assaulted her daughter. A case was registered on November 28, 2017, under Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act at the women police station.

After the trial, the convict was held guilty and sent to the jail for 10 years. He was also slapped with a fine of Rs 20,000.

The CJM said, “It is apparent from the facts of the case that the convict committed penetrative sexual assault upon the victim. The perusal of the statements shows that parents of the victim were earning Rs 99,000 per annum, not exceeding Rs 4.50 lakh per annum, which is one of the conditions precedent for payment of compensation under the compensation scheme. The CJM in its orders said, “In the interest of justice, an amount of Rs 5 lakh is awarded as compensation for the rehabilitation of the victim.”