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

The submission by the Aam 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 Thursday 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 on Wednesday.

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 on Thursday 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 measures 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 for further hearing on November 2.