Kunan Poshpora Case: Home Dept, Police mulls to appeal against SHRC, HC directions

3The state Home department and police has sought Chief Minister’s intervention in getting clearance to go in appeal against State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) recommendations and court directions for granting ex-gratia relief to Kunan Poshpora rape victims.
Sources told Rising Kashmir that police headquarters and Home department has moved an application to state law department seeking approval for the appeal against the court directions.
However, the application is pending in the office of State Law Minister for approval who incidentally is legislator representing Kunan Poshpora villages.
Earlier in August this year, Additional Advocate General, R A Khan on behalf of the state told a bench of High Court that state government in principle is not averse to compensation for rape victims of Kunan Poshpora and the decision in this regard was taken at a high level meeting.
At least 40 women were raped by personnel of Army’s 4 Rajputana Rifles during the intervening night of February 23/24 in 1991 in the twin villages of Kunan and Poshpora in Kupwara district of north Kashmir.
SHRC had recommended re-investigation, payment of Rs two lakh as ex-gratia to victims and action against the then Director Prosecution for closing the case in 1991 as untraced.
Last week High Court again passed directions asking government to pay compensation to Kunan Poshpora rape victims as per the earlier orders and recommendations of State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) within four weeks.
A division bench observed that the compensation as per the directions issued has not been paid to the victims of the crime and state has not filled any status report regarding re-investigation in the case. The state government, however, said the delay happened due to floods.

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