New Section in CrPC for compensation to sexual crime victims

New Delhi: Victims of sexual crimes including rape, acid attacks, crime against children, and human trafficking will be entitled to compensation under a new section inserted in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday.

"Section 357A has been inserted in the Code of Criminal Procedure 1973 vide the Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Act, 2008, which provides for compensation to victims of crime."

"In pursuance of this, a Victim Compensation Scheme (VCS) is required to be framed by the state governments/union territories in coordination with the central government. All the states/UTs have notified their VCS," Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Gangaram Ahir said.

In response to a question, the minister said on July 6 the central government launched the Central Victim Compensation Fund (CVCF) Scheme for women with one-time grant of Rs 200 crore under the 'Nirbhaya Fund' to bring uniformity in existing schemes notified by the states.

It is to encourage states/UTs to effectively implement the Victim Compensation Schemes (VCS) notified by them under the provisions of section 357A of CrPC and provide financial support to victims of various crimes like sexual offences including rape, acid attacks, crime against children, human trafficking etc, he said.

"A minimum compensation of Rs 3 lakh has been allocated for the victim of acid attack under this scheme," he said.