Disbursed Rs 15 cr as compensation for victims: AAP govt to HC

The AAP government today told the Delhi High Court it has disbursed Rs 15 crore for payment of compensation to victims of sexual offences and other crimes like acid attacks.
The submission by the Aap Aadmi Party (AAP) government was made before a bench of justices S Ravindra Bhat and S P Garg which had on August 11 directed it release the amount by today to the Delhi State Legal Services Authority (DSLSA).
The DSLSA, which processed the claims of victims, informed the court that a cheque of Rs 15 crore was received by it yesterday.
The bench was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) initiated by it after the December 16, 2012 gang rape-cum- murder case following which the Delhi Victim Compensation Fund was created.

The court has been giving directions in the matter from time to time with regard to improving investigation of crimes and protection of women in the national capital.
On May 4 this year, the court had directed the Delhi government to disburse Rs 10 crore within seven days for granting interim compensation to victims of sexual and other offences.

It had also directed the government to prepare a roster with regard to testing of DNA samples by forensic science laboratories (FSLs).
The court today noted that its direction with regard to the FSLs has not been complied with and directed the Delhi government to file an affidavit indicating year-wise record of DNA samples received by the two FSLs here and to ensure that the oldest ones are sent for testing first.

The bench said that the affidavit should also indicate the steps taken for communicating the test reports to the police stations as well as forwarding the results to the courts concerned.
The court listed the matter fo further hearing on November 2.