Mumbai: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India has been informed by the Maharashtra Government in response to its notices in a case of sexual exploitation of 16 girls at a Nashik Shelter Home that the accused Director of the said Home was arrested and the trial is going on in a court.
Financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh each will be paid to all the victims. Out of this, Rs 3 lakh each has been sanctioned to be paid in two instalments. The remaining amount of 1 lakh each will be paid to them after the completion of the trial. Besides the financial assistance, the government has also admitted the victims to school for further education. The girls are also being given counseling at regular intervals.
The Commission has asked the District Women and Child Development Officer, Nashik to expedite the payment of the sanctioned instalments of Rs 3 lakh each to the victims and disburse the remaining amount of Rs 1 lakh each to them after the completion of the trial.
The Commission had registered the case suo motu based on the media reports about the incident on 28th November, 2022. The Chief Secretary and Director General of Police, Maharashtra, were issued notices calling for a detailed report in the matter including the status of the FIR specifying penal offences involved in the case, progress and outcome of investigation, arrest of the accused if any, health status of the victim girls and monetary relief/ rehabilitation if any, provided by the state authorities to the victim. They were expected to inform about the counseling provided to the victims, especially to the minor victims of the traumatic incident.
The Commission had also asked its Special Rapporteur for Maharashtra to submit a report in the matter. He informed that the sexual exploitation of minor girls was going on for the last more than three years and also during the pandemic period in 2019 and an FIR was registered.
