NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Centre to implement a scheme framed by the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) under the Nirbaya fund for payment of compensation to victims of sexual assault.
A bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta approved a scheme for mandatory grant of compensation to sexual assault victims, under which a victim of gang rape will be paid up to Rs 10 lakh.
According to the scheme, a rape victim is entitled to compensation of between Rs 4 lakh and Rs 7 lakh, and a gang rape victim would receive Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh.
If there is a loss of life, the victim’s family is entitled to compensation of between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 10 lakh. For victims of unnatural sexual assault, the compensation is Rs 4 lakh to Rs 7 lakh. In case of pregnancy as a result of rape, the victim will receive additional compensation of Rs 3 lakh to Rs 4 lakh.
From Nirbhaya fund
A rape victim is entitled to compensation of Rs 4-7 lakh
A gang rape victim would receive Rs 5-10 lakh
Victims of unnatural sexual assault will get Rs 4-7 lakh
In case of pregnancy as a result of rape, the victim will receive additional compensation of Rs 3-4 lakh
In cases of disfigurement due to acid attack/burning, the victim would receive compensation of Rs 7-8 lakh
If a pregnant woman suffers miscarriage due to assault, she is entitled to compensation of Rs 2 lakh to Rs 3 lakh. In cases of disfigurement due to acid attack/burning, the victim would receive compensation of Rs 7 lakh to Rs 8 lakh, and if the victim sustains more than 50 per cent injury, the victim would receive between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 8 lakh. In any instance, if the victim is a minor, the compensation would be 50 per cent higher than the prescribed figures.
The scheme empowers the legal services authority to take suo motu cognizance of cases of sexual assault and acid attack to grant interim relief to victims. During the hearing, senior advocate Indira Jaising told the bench that the Centre had cleared a Rs 3,500 crore fund under the Nirbhaya Scheme, but only to nine states had received funds so far. Only 123 victims have been compensated from the fund so far.
However, the Centre refuted the allegation and informed the bench that Rs 960 crore had been disbursed so far from the Nirbhaya fund. The bench slated the case for detailed hearing in July.