The HC was hearing a petition filed by acid attack victim Aarti Thakur, who was attacked with acid at Goregaon railway station in January 2012. Thakur had approached the court asking it to instruct the Maharashtra government to pay her compensation as prescribed in the state-formulated Manodhairya scheme.
The Bombay High Court on Friday said that the state government should provide financial aid to acid attack victims at the earliest so they can avail medical aid immediately.
A division bench of Justice V M Kanade and Justice A R Joshi said "The victims need to undergo treatment at the earliest and if they are not given money then it could prove detrimental. We hope the state government understands this."
The HC was hearing a petition filed by acid attack victim Aarti Thakur, who was attacked with acid at Goregaon railway station in January 2012. Thakur had approached the court asking it to instruct the Maharashtra government to pay her compensation as prescribed in the state-formulated Manodhairya scheme.
Advocate Gayatri Singh that victim Thakur had visited JJ and KEM hospitals after the incident, and met with the doctors. Since a woman doctor would treat Thakur at KEM she was more comfortable in that hospital.
Justice Kanade also mentioned having received a letter written by a doctor which complained about the Nova hospital doctor who was initially treating Thakur. The court said "We know how things function, this is not a matter where inquiry should be initiated against the doctor, our aim is to provide medical facilities to the victim."
Dr Ashok Gupta, senior plastic surgeon, had written a letter to Justice Kanade and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. In this letter he pleaded that acid attack victims should get the Below Poverty line (BPL) status, because that way they can get medical aid that common people can't afford.
In his 40-year career, Dr Gupta, who is head of the plastic surgery department, Bombay hospital, has operated upon more than 150 acid attack victims. In the letter the doctor said that not only the person conducting the acid attack but also the person making the acid available to the offender along with the dealer are partners in crime and should be included in the category of offender.
The court has now adjourned the matter to April 30, when the state is likely to file its reply to the petition.
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