Compensate gangrape victim: NHRC to Haryana

In the case,a 40-year-old woman was dragged out of an autorickshaw by a Haryana Armed Police constable in Chandigarh’s Sector-7 and gangraped on February 21,2008.

Dinesh Kumar took the victim to his quarters,where Commando Bijender Singh and a guest joined him in the crime.

In the same month,the NHRC took suo motu cognisance of media reports about the crime.

A case was registered and in August 2008,Kumar was found guilty and dismissed from service.

Commando Singh was arrested and sent to judicial custody. Later,he was suspended and a departmental inquiry initiated against him.

When the NHRC sent showcause notices to the Haryana government,asking why monetary relief should not be paid to the victim,the Haryana DGP said since the case was registered in Chandigarh,the victim should be compensated by the Chandigarh Administration.

In response to a similar showcause notice,UT Inspector General of Police said the accused was an employee of the Haryana government. Hence,it should pay the compensation.

After contesting each other over the territorial jurisdiction of the crime,the NHRC finally observed that since no personnel in the service of the UT was involved in the crime,the Haryana government must pay the victim.

The NHRC has asked for a compliance proof from the government within six weeks.