Implement the Rehabilitation Scheme for the Rape Survivor, Court Issued notice to States

HRLN has filed a petition of the Petitioner when her 15 year old daughter who was gang raped by three Persons in Haryana on 26th August 2013.The petition sought compensation and a directive for her rehabilitation.

The petition highlighted the trauma of the girl and a large number of such rapes occurred in Haryana, the victims belonging to the backward classes. It said the brazenness and frequency of the crime indicated that in Haryana “there is a sense of impunity among certain male sections and a feeling that rape will go unpunished. There is a clear breakdown of the criminal justice system and complete denial of protection to women, especially those belonging to the Dalit class.”

Senior counsel Colin Gonsalves, appearing for the Haryana victim’s father has said that the accused got the support of the police and the khap panchayat, and when the girl filed an FIR, she was socially boycotted and asked to leave her village.

So, the Supreme Court issued notice to the Chief Secretaries of all the States and the administrators of the Union Territories, seeking their response in eight weeks on rehabilitation schemes for victims.

HRLN has filed a PIL to Implement the Rehabilitation Scheme for Acid Attack Survivors

PARIVARTAN KENDRA V/S UNION OF INDIA & Ors.
WRIT PETITION (CIVIL.) NO (s). 867 OF 2013

Chanchal, a talented 18-year-old Dalit girl, wanted to be a computer engineer. She used to go to college regularly and supported her family working as a daily wageworker. Men from her village, Anil, Ghanshyam, Baadal, and Raja, harassed Chanchal on a daily basis.

They had been sexually and verbally harassing her for many months prior to this incident. When she refused to give in to their demands and boldly opposed their sexual harassment, they brutally threw acid on her face and body, which also fell on Chanchal’s younger sister’s body. The men attacked Chanchal on 21 October 2012 at midnight by climbing on Chanchal’s roof while she and her sister were asleep. After hearing their daughters’ screams, Chanchal’s parents rushed the girls to Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH).

After the acid attack, PMCH doctors delayed proper treatment and failed to give her medicines, worsening her condition. Chanchal’s parents had to purchase almost all medicines out of pocket causing them to go under debt spending more than 5 lakhs on medicines. PMCH doctors and nurses mistreated Chanchal and her family telling her she has no right to be at the hospital given that she was Dalit.

The Petitioner of the Petition is Parivartan Kendra, is a registered NGO (Registration No. 207/2007 under the Registered Society Act, dated 28.05.07 at Patna, Bihar). Who has filed this public interest litigation to ensure justice for survivors and to humbly urge this Hon’ble Court to direct the respondents to mirror other countries in the region by taking meaningful steps to ensure that survivors are adequately compensated, treated, and rehabilitated.

Now, the Supreme Court has issued notice to the Union of India and others.