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States must pay victims of cow vigilantism: SC

Last Updated 23 September 2017, 04:10 IST
The Supreme Court on Friday said the states were under the obligation to compensate victims of violence by cow vigilante groups. A three-judge bench presided over by Chief Justice Dipak Misra said the states have to frame a scheme to compensate the victims of crime under the Criminal Procedure Code.

Hearing a batch of petitions on cow vigilantism, the court, however, told senior advocate Indira Jaising — representing Tushar Gandhi, activist and great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi — not to mix up issues, as the matter of compensation could be dealt with separately.

Jaising sought direction to the Central government to frame a national policy to prevent such incidents.

She contended that despite the apex court’s rulings for mandatory compensation to the victims of crime, the money was not being paid.

Jaising cited the example of family members of Junaid, killed by a group of fellow passengers while returning to his Ballabhgarh home with his brothers after Eid shopping in Delhi on June 23.

The counsel along with senior advocate Kapil Sibal also raised the case of another victim Pahlu Khan, whose family members were being harassed in Rajasthan.

On the other hand, the court asked the chief secretaries of 22 states to file compliance reports in terms of its September 6 order to appoint a senior police officer as the nodal officer in every district within a week to check the cow vigilante groups.

“Let the compliance reports be filed. Nobody can wash their hands of (their duty). We will give directions to all the states,” the bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, said.

The court was informed that Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Rajasthan and Gujarat have already filed their compliance affidavits.

The court gave the other states time to file the reports by October 13 and fixed PILs, including one filed by Tehseen Poonawallah, for consideration on October 31.

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(Published 22 September 2017, 16:09 IST)

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