New Delhi, Jan 27: A Supreme Court bench has mandated a nationwide audit of acid attack litigation and victim rehabilitation, signaling a potential shift toward harsher sentencing for such offenses. The court has requested states and Union territories to provide brief particulars of each survivor, including their marital status and the total medical expenses incurred during their recovery.
This move follows a petition seeking to bridge gaps in the current law, especially for victims who suffer life-threatening internal damages. The court expressed a particular interest in cases involving the forced ingestion of acid, a subset of attacks that often leads to permanent internal disability.
The CJI asked the Centre to mull changes in law to ensure that convicts are awarded “extraordinary” punishment for indulging in acid attacks, noting that the severity of the crime warrants a robust legal response.
The bench, comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices R Mahadevan and Joymalya Bagchi, noted that the information must include the number of cases decided or pending at the trial court levels. This data is expected to help the court understand the efficiency of the judicial process in handling such sensitive matters.
Shaheen Malik, the petitioner and a survivor herself, argued through her PIL that victims with internal organ damage require adequate compensation and specialized medical care that is currently not fully covered under existing disability frameworks.
The states are required to file these details within four weeks, including the status of rehabilitation schemes intended to help survivors reintegrate into the workforce and society.
