REHABILITATION OF LIFE & CONFIDENCE OF A MINOR VICTIM

Delhi State Legal Services Authority (DSLSA) has been constituted under Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987. The main function of the authority is to provide free and competent legal services to the weaker sections of the society to ensure that the opportunities for securing justice are not denied to any citizen by reason of economic and other disabilities.

To ensure that the objectives for which the District Legal Services Authorities have been constituted are fulfilled, we organise many awareness and rehabilitation programs. District Legal Services Authority, West situated at Tis Hazari Courts had initiated one such mechanism, wherein Sh. Vinod Kumar Meena, Secretary of DLSA, West personally interacted with the victims and their legal representatives in cases pertaining to offences covered under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (POCSO Act) to determine as to whether they have discontinued their studies after such incidents.

One such instance is of a case which came to DLSA, West for inquiry with respect to compensation in FIR No. 509/15. The case was booked u/s 6 of the POCSO Act and section 376 & 506 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 at Mianwali Nagar Police Station, Delhi. The victim of the case was a minor girl who was approached by West, DLSA.  After inquiry of the case, it was revealed that this case was of incest wherein the step-father of the victim girl had raped her and afterwards she had also given birth to a child due to the act of sexual assault. After various interactions with the victim and her mother, it was revealed that at the time of the incident she was studying in 4th standard but afterwards her name was struck off from the school roll by the principal. This strict, unreasonable and arbitrary action by the principal added to the mental trauma of the victim and resulted in hindrance to her studies and career prospects in future. After various interactions with the minor victim girl with the Ld. Secretary DLSA, West she revealed that she wished to study further in the same school.

After interactions with the victim, the Investigating Officer of the case was immediately summoned and specifically instructed to go to the concerned school authorities and to take necessary steps for getting re-admission of the victim. With the foremost and prompt efforts of West, DLSA and the Investigating Officer of the case, the victim was re-admitted to the 5th standard in the same school in the academic session 2017-18.

Apart from providing legal aid to the concerned victim, various counselling sessions were also held. In the end, the victim was awarded the final compensation of Rs 11 Lakh by the court order for her rehabilitation, alleviation of her sufferings and appropriate educational development. Now she is a brilliant student spending her time studying and enjoying the joys of childhood all because of the prompt and foremost efforts of DLSA, West under the guidance of the Ld. Member Secretary. With the timely efforts of West, DLSA victim girl has not only gained self-confidence but is also working hard and moving towards a brighter future.