Frame compensation scheme for boy-victims of sexual assault:HC

The Bombay High Court today asked Maharashtra government to come out with a scheme for giving compensation to boys who are victims of sexual assault, on the lines of an existing one for female victims.
Incidents of sexual assault on boys at remand homes in Maharashtra are on rise and there is a need to formulate a scheme for rehabilitation of the victims, the division bench headed by Justice V M Kanade said.
"Why no separate scheme for boys has been formulated?" said the judges, directing the state to inform them at the next hearing after two weeks what it has done in this regard.

'Manodhairya' scheme for women rape victims was launched in 2013 by the state with a provision of compensation.
The HC was hearing a suo motu (on its own) petition about a sexual assault case at Kavdas orphanage in Shahpur. The sessions court had convicted six persons, including the orphanage owner, of sexually assaulting and starving 18 minor mentally-challenged inmates, five of them girls.
Taking a suo motu cognisance of the case, the HC had ordered the government to inquire into the working of all the state-aided orphanages. As a result of the PIL, a state coordination committee for child protection was formed and Dr Asha Bajpai was appointed an 'amicus curiae' (friend of court). Bajpai also heads the five-member committee.

The government today submitted a report on compliance of July 3 order of the HC which had asked the state to rehabilitate the victims.