Observing that these days Judges and lawyers give much importance to the prosecution, criminals and defense by completely ignoring and forgetting the victims, the Madras High Court suggested that law colleges have to teach Victimology as a subject like Criminology.
Justice P Devadoss, while granting bail to an accused involved in an accident case where one person died, while quoting late Justice V R Krishna Iyer, said the most forgotten elements in the administration of Criminal Justice are victims of crime.
The case related to an accident which had occurred on February 21 this year, in which one person was killed.
One Ashokkumar, who was under the influence of alcohol, was arrested in connection with the accident.
The Judge, while granting conditional bail to Ashokkumar, said in his order that "both prosecution and defense did not focus their attention towards victims. Now the trend has changed. A new trend has developed. Criminal courts have started thinking about the fate of the victims who are the real sufferers in a violent criminal act. Thus, by way of restitution, some sort of compensation is being awarded by the criminal courts".
He then directed Ashokkumar to deposit Rs 50,000 at the time of executing bail bond and another Rs one lakh within a month in two installments before the XIV Metropolitan Magistrate, Egmore.
The Judge also directed the Magistrate to disburse the amount to the father of the deceased as and when deposited.
He further directed the accused to furnish a personal bail bond of Rs 10,000 to the satisfaction of the Magistrate and two sureties to the like sum.
The Judge also made it clear that the above compensation will not come under in any way the claims to be made by the victims family under the Motor Accident Claims or any other claims.
