AURANGABAD: The state police headquarters has instructed the officer of all commissioners and superintendents of police (SP) to set up a dedicated helpdesk to assist and guide victims of crime in getting monetary compensation as per different schemes and norms of the government.
The move has made the Maharashtra Police the first in the country to take such an initiative. Normally, the social welfare as well as the woman and child welfare departments coordinate to help the victims get compensation under different government schemes. Depending on the degree of excess or brutality committed against the victim, he or she is eligible for the amount defined under the scheme.
Additional director-general of police (law and order) Rajender Singh has issued the directives to ensure that the victims are not only made aware of the monetary compensation, but also get the same at the earliest.
“We have started the initiative so that all eligible victims of atrocities, sexual offences, acid attacks benefit from government schemes. After registering the offence, victims remain in touch with the police till filing of the chargesheet. If police assists them with the process, we are confident of winning the trust of the victims in particular and the society in general,” he said.
He added the decision was taken after he found that in most of the cases, victims are either less or not educated and they fail to take appropriate steps to avail the timely compensation. “Due to the victims lack of knowledge and awareness, the process ends up getting delayed and eventually there is delay in getting compensation,” Singh said.
In 2016, the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, was amended and states were required to prepare a model contingency plan for the implementation of the provisions of the Act.
Under the Manodhairya scheme, victims of sexual offences, acid attacks and minors girls rescued from flesh trade and prostitution under the immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act are eligible for compensation ranging from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 10 lakh.
High court lawyer Prashant Nagargoje said amendments made to the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) 1973 in 2008 as well as through Criminal Law (amendment) Act of 2013, made a breakthrough in acknowledging the rights of the victim, while the amendment made in 2009 mandated the states to launch the Manodhairya scheme.
Human rights activist and HC lawyer Nihalsingh Rathod said, “Sections 357 and 357-A of the CrPC lay down the procedure for granting compensation to the victims. It is a welcome move and should continue in the years to come”
