HC asks UP govt to spell out action taken to compensate acid

The Allahabad High Court has asked Uttar Pradesh government to list the steps taken to provide minimum compensation of rupees three lakh to all acid attack victims in the state.
It directed the Government Advocate to place the action report taken of the finance department on a request made by the home department to provide fund to State Legal Service Authority to directly extend financial assistance to the acid attack victims.
It fixed September 24 as the next date of hearing.
Earlier, in a relief to acid attack victims, the court had said that remidial steps had to be taken for them because they endure those sufferings everyday for the rest of their life and wrong done to them would haunt them all through.

The court had directed the state government to file a reply indicating its stand regarding payment of compensation to acid attack victims and show cause why a compensation of rupees three lakh should not be paid to the victim of the present case.
Justice Sudhir Kumar Saxena passed the order yesterday on a criminal appeal filed by Mohd Kaleem, a convict of an acid attack case related to Saadatganj police station here.

The appellant sought bail in this case after he had been convicted and awarded 10 years rigorous imprisonment by a trial court in the case for throwing acid on a man injuring him seriously. He is in jail since July 27, 2010.

"It is high time the victim of offence is also taken care of. Feeling of victory of justice lurking in his mind will be a subterfuge unless adequate steps for rehabilitation are not taken. Remidial steps have to be taken for all acid victims because they endure those sufferings everyday for whole life and wrong done to them would haunt them every time " the court said.
The HC referred to a Supreme Court ruling in which a minimum compensation of rupees three lakh was directed in addition to free medical treatment to the acid attack victim and ban on sale of acid.

The court said "prima facie it is found that the victim of this case is entitled to compensation as his fifty percent body stands burnt in the acid attack. Before considering the prayer for bail, it would be proper to determine this question as well.
"Criminal justice system has to take care of both accused as well as victim," it added.