Delhi HC orders Rs 5 lakh compensation to acid attack victim sisters, jobs in state government

New Delhi [India], April 2 : The Delhi High Court on Tuesday directed the Delhi State Legal Service Authority to give Rs 5 lakh each as compensation to two sisters who were victims of acid attack in Jamia Nagar area in 2009.
The High Court has also directed to bring forward proposal and prospects for their employment in any department of Delhi government to ensure their rehabilitation.
"There is no doubt that the present case is yet another horrid illustration of how girls of young age have suffered abuse of acid attack for reasons whatsoever, which has left them not only physically impaired for the life time but also scars of physical and emotional trauma will last in their minds and hearts during life time," the high court said.
Division bench of Justices Suresh Kumar Kait and Neena Bansal Krishna passed the above direction while dismissing appeals of prosecution and victims against the acquittal of two accused in the matter.
The division bench further directed the DSLSA to get fresh medical check up of the victims done from All India Institute of Medical Sciences within two weeks, especially from Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Burn Surgery Department and Dr Rajinder Prasad Centre for Opthalmic Sciences and any other department, if so required.
The High court has also directed the authority to file a detailed Status Report with the opinion of the Specialists for future treatment and surgeries, if required, upon the victims, to ensure their present and future medical treatments.
The High Court upheld the acquittal of two accused under section 307 (Attempt to murder) and 34 (Common Intention). It said that the Prosecution failed to proved its case beyond reasonable doubts.
However, the bench said that if the identify of the assailant of the crime of throwing acid upon the appellants-victims has not been established, still this Court cannot ignore the fact that the victims have suffered grave injuries, scars of which shall remain with them for life.
After noting that the victims have suffered the grave injuries, which has badly disfigured their face and upper parts of body and also lost 100 per cent vision of eyes.
The bench said that the victims have suffered immensely due to the acid attack, not by just completely losing vision in both their eyes, but also becoming disfigured and handicapped and have to dependent on others for life.
"They have lost all prospects of career, marriage and leading a normal life. This Court is of the opinion that the victims in the present case have gone through not only physical but also mental agony," the bench said in the judgement passed on April 2.
"Accordingly, we hereby direct Delhi State Legal Services Authority to forthwith grant compensation of Rs.5,00,000 each to the victims under the "Women Victim Compensation Fund", which shall be kept in fixed deposit receipts by the Registrar General of this Court in a nationalised bank and quarterly interest accrued thereupon shall be remitted to the saving bank account of the victims, which they shall be at liberty to withdraw for their expenditure."
The High Court upheld the acquittal of accused and said that Not only the statement of victims, but also the manner in which the investigation of this case has been carried out, demolishes the case of the prosecution.
In our considered opinion, the learned trial Court has rightly observed that in the month of October at about 07:00 PM, with no street lights on the road, it was actually difficult for the victims to identify the accused persons which is established, the High court said.