Allahabad High Court pulls up State for delay in compensating minor rape victim

The Allahabad High Court expressed strong disapproval of the state government’s failure to pay compensation under the UP Rani Lakshmi Bai Mahila Samman Kosh Rules to a minor rape victim. The court noted that despite the chargesheet being filed, not a single rupee had been released and the victim had been forced to approach the court by way of a writ petition. It emphasised that the scheme’s purpose — to provide immediate relief to victims of heinous offences — was being defeated by administrative inertia. The bench directed that the full amount (₹3 lakh) be paid without further delay and held that officials responsible could face departmental action. The ruling reinforces the principle that timely state-remedy measures are essential in crime-victim contexts and delays compound trauma rather than mitigate it.