Kerala to set up compensation fund

The Kerala government today approved a proposal to set up a fund to provide compensation to victims, or their family members, of criminal offences.

Announcing this during his weekly cabinet briefing, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said under the proposal by a central amendment to the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), the victims of various criminal offences would be entitled to compensation ranging from Rs 20,000 to Rs 5 lakh.

The fund will be administered by the Home Department and the beneficiaries and the quantum of compensation would be decided by the state and district-level legal authority.

Chandy said the scheme was formulated on the basis of the CrPC Amendment Act, 2008.