Recover compensation from rape victim who turned hostile: Court

A 16-year-old rape survivor, who had turned hostile during the course of the trial in which her father was convicted of sexually assaulting her, has been asked by a special POCSO court to return the compensation amount provided to her under the state-run 'Manodhairya' scheme. The scheme is run by the Maharashtra Women and Child Development department under which compensation is provided to rape survivors, acid attack victims and children who are victims of sexual offenses.

The victim had said her father had repeatedly raped her for over five years and had filed a complaint with Aarey Police Station in 2015. She, however, turned hostile, though the father was convicted by a special POCSO court based on the testimony of other witnesses, facts, and circumstances.

Special POCSO Judge A D Deo directed the authorities to recover the compensation of Rs 3 lakh that the victim got under the state government scheme. "As the victim did not support the prosecution case to the hilt and has turned hostile, I am of the considered view that, in such circumstances, the victim is not entitled to get the said compensation under Manodhairya," the judge said.

The judge directed the District Legal Aid Services and the concerned police station to recover the compensation.