Allahabad HC Seeks To Know Whether A Minor Rape Victim Is Entitled To Compensation Under A Government-Run Housing Scheme

Prayagraj, July 18 (TNA) The Allahabad High Court on Monday directed the District Magistrate of Bulandshahr to inform the court whether the 12-year-old rape victim, who had an abortion with the permission of the court, is entitled to compensation under the Uttar Pradesh Rani Laxmi Bai Mahila Samman Kosh 2015. The Allahabad High Court has passed an order on a writ petition filed by a 12-year-old rape victim, in which the deaf-mute girl sought permission to terminate her 25-week pregnancy.

The court also asked to inform whether the mother of the victim girl, who is a laborer, is entitled to get housing under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. A bench of Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi and Justice Prashant Kumar passed the order on a writ petition filed by the 12-year-old rape victim. This deaf-mute girl had sought permission to abort her 25-week pregnancy.

During the hearing, the state government informed the court that the girl was aborted on the intervening night of July 15-16. The court wanted to know the status of the investigation being done in relation to the FIR registered in this case and fixed the date of August 9 for the next hearing of the case.

Earlier, on July 12, the court had allowed the rape victim to undergo the medical procedure of abortion, taking into account the opinion of the medical board. The Medical Board had expressed the opinion that the physical and mental health of the minor girl would be at risk if the pregnancy continued.

The court had said on July 11 that a woman who is a victim of sexual abuse cannot be forced to give birth to a child that belongs to the person who sexually assaulted her and if it is done, it would result in unspeakable suffering.

Raghav Arora, advocate for the petitioner victim, said, "On the next date of hearing, the state government will inform whether the rape victim is entitled to compensation under the Uttar Pradesh Rani Laxmi Bai Mahila Samman Kosh, 2015 and the investigation in this criminal case."