Rape survivor asked to return Maha govt’s compensation for turning hostile
Mumbai: A special POSCO court in the city ordered the 16-year-old rape victim to return the amount of compensation of three lakhs, during her trial. This money was given to her under Manodhairya.
The victim – a young woman now was repeatedly raped by her father since she was 11. She has been ordered to return the amount because she had turned hostile during her examination in court. However, Special Judge AD Deo had held her father guilty of rape and sentenced him to 12 years in prison.
The judge had then noted that since the accused father was the only earning member there was a lot of pressure on the victim and her mother for retracting their statements.
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Maharashtra government had drawn a lot of flak for the Manodhairya scheme or its “insensitive attitude” towards victims. As per the scheme, “if a victim changes or retracts her statement in court, the entire sanctioned amount will be recovered from her”. This condition is imposed on survivors irrespective of the outcome of the trial.
The survivor had told the police that her father– an alcoholic and a drug addict – raped her repeatedly. Finally, she escaped from her home and filed a rape case against her father. Her mother too supported her initially. However, when it was time to testify in court, the girl turned hostile. She had returned to her home by then and refused to stand by her statement.
But the court relied on survivor’s statements and made the decision.
The money will now have to be returned to the District Legal Aid services authority.
Ms Kalinga AI