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Cops’ laxity puts rape victims in a fix
Even though the Telangana State government enhanced the compensation for rape victims from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2 lakh earlier this year, the delay in the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) giving its report is stonewalling the payment procedure.
FSL REPORT DELAY
- Forensic Science Laboratory is yet to deliver report on 40 of total 61 cases
- 50 per cent compensation of `2 lakh is handed out only after judgement is passed after verification of FSL report
Hyderabad: Even though the Telangana State government enhanced the compensation for rape victims from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2 lakh earlier this year, the delay in the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) giving its report is stonewalling the payment procedure. Resultantly, rape victims are forced to wait for several months, sometimes over a year, to avail themselves the compensation amount. Many women had represented the issue to the State Commission for Women but to no avail. About 21 of 61 cases registered during the last one year are still awaiting the FSL report.
As per the GO released in 2011, 25 per cent of compensation is provided to the victim when the FIR is registered along with the medical report. Another 25 per cent is provided after filing of the chargesheet. The balance 50 per cent is paid after completion of the trial. A total of Rs 21.10 lakh was released by the government under this year’s budget (2015-16), for the 61 identified cases. For most cases, the compensation was stalled due to delay in judgement which was due to delay of the FSL report.
Most of the cases recorded by the police (under section 375(A) of the Cr.PC, 1973) and identified by Women Development and Child Welfare Department (WCD) point out that in 2015 (starting from April) for Adilabad district (24 cases), the government had released Rs 5.9 lakh till now. For Nizamabad (18 cases) and Medak (15 cases), it had released Rs 5.7 lakh and Rs 8.25 lakh respectively.
Though the FSL tests are conducted in Hyderabad, there seems to be some laxity on part of the police in getting the results quickly and submitting them to the court. The cases get dragged on and the victims continue to suffer, rue women organisations. As per the procedure, Project Director of WCD recommends to the government about compensation to the rape victim. They will send the details of the case to the government (to the Principal Secretary). Later the director of WCD will release the amount after ascertaining that the conditions have been fulfilled.
“Forensic reports are taking ages and we are helpless. Not only girls from Hyderabad, but there are cases from other districts which are pending,” said Dr Tripurana Venkataratnam, Chairman, State Commission for Women. The WCD department officials explained that part of amount is released by them, but it is due to delay in judgement that the remaining amount is not released. The officials claimed that the amount was being released in installments, but the delay is only for the final payment.
The first installment is being released immediately after considering the medical report. Even the second installment is released, when the case is heard. “The only delay is caused due to delayed judgement,” said K Shyam Sundari, Joint Director Women and Child Department.
By Md Nizamuddin
