Sexual Assault Victims: Injuries Not Needed for Compensation, Rules High Court

• The Lucknow High Court ruled that physical injuries are not mandatory for sexual assault victims to receive compensation.
• Compensation cannot be withheld if the FIR and charge sheet include Section 4 of the POCSO Act, even without medical evidence of injury.
• The ruling came in a case involving a minor sexual assault victim from Gonda district who was denied compensation.
• The High Court quashed the District Steering Committee's decision, which had rejected the claim due to lack of penetrative injury evidence.
• The court directed 3 lakh rupees compensation to be paid to the victim within 10 days, emphasizing generous implementation of welfare schemes like UP Rani Laxmibai Mahila Evam Bal Samman Kosh Yojana 2015.

Why It Matters: High Court clarifies that sexual assault victims are eligible for compensation regardless of visible physical injuries.