Cops, channel asked to pay Rs 6.5L to sexual abuse victim

The Delhi police and television news channel Aaj Tak were on Tuesday directed by the high court to pay compensation of Rs 6.5 lakh to a victim of sexual abuse for disclosing her identity eight years ago.

The court also directed the police commissioner to set up an inquiry into the disclosure of the First Information Report and its details by police to media.

"Respondent 1 (police) and 3 (Aaj Tak), are directed to pay to the petitioner's daughter compensation of Rs 6,00,000, out of which Rs 1,00,000 shall be paid by respondent 1 and Rs 5,00,000 shall be paid by respondent 3," Justice Vipin Sanghi said and directed them to deposit the amount in four weeks.

In addition, the court also directed each of them to pay Rs 25,000 as litigation cost to the minor girl.

"While arriving at the figures of damages awarded against respondents, this court has taken into account the extent of negligent role played by each of them in the serious infraction of the fundamental right to life of the petitioner’s daughter...," the court observed.

The court also directed the Commissioner of Police to ‘immediately’ set up an inquiry into the disclosure of the FIR and its details by the police officials to the media and said

"The inquiry shall be headed by an officer not below the rank of a DCP, who shall not be from the same district with which this case pertains and who should not have had any connection or dealing with the FIR in question in the past."

The court said the inquiry should be conducted within four months. "While conducting the inquiry, due care shall be taken to maintain secrecy of the identity of the petitioner and her daughter," it said.

The court passed the order on a woman's plea alleging that the police had disclosed to the media the contents of the FIR lodged on August 2, 2005 by her minor daughter accusing her father of sexually abuse.

The woman alleged that due to publicity, the victim faced irremediable social embarrassment and was unable to attend school regularly.

It was contended that her daughter was constrained to move cities and had to start her education afresh in the middle of the school term, leading to great mental trauma and agony.