Summary:
This, despite the fact that the investigation of her case, booked under the POCSO Act for rape and child marriage, was already underway. The incident raises one pertinent question: Should ‘conviction of the accused’ still be the only qualifier to compensate victims of POCSO and rape? Experts note that several victims of POCSO and rape cases have not received compensation beyond the token Rs 25,000 they get after the filing of FIR. As per the victim compensation schemes under GO 28, they are entitled to a total sum of Rs 1 lakh — Rs 25,000 after the FIR is filed, Rs 50,000 after the chargesheet, and another Rs 25,000 post-conviction. By then, many victims turn hostile and never get the compensation they are due,” stated Mamatha Raghuveer, technical director of Bharosa Centre..