Go to Supreme Court, says Bombay HC on compensation in honour-killing cases

The Bombay high court has asked a petitioner who sought that the state give compensation to families of the deceased in honour killing cases, to approach the apex court as the petition was based on a Supreme Court directive.

The division bench of Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice M.S. Sonak was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by advocate Yashwant Shenoy. The PIL was filed regarding the Navi Mumbai honour-killing case, in which a 15-year-old boy was killed allegedly by his girlfriend’s relatives in July.

The petitioner had also sought action against the local police for not registering a case when the family of Swapnil Sonawane, the deceased, had approached them when he had been threatened by his girlfriend’s relatives.

While disposing of the petition, the court said, “Let the Supreme Court call the police officers concerned and ask the reason for not registering a case.”

Mr Shenoy argued said that if the police had registered an FIR as per the request of Sonawane’s family, his life would have been saved. Therefore action should be taken against the police officers concerned, he said. Mr Shenoy also asked the court to issue directions to the state and make provision of compensation to families in such incidents.

While arguing the matter Mr Shenoy brought to the notice of the court that the Supreme Court had issued directives in the case of Lalita Kumari versus the state of UP that the police has to register a case if somebody approaches the police to register an FIR. He argued that separate provision should be made in the Indian Penal Code regarding honor killing cases.

After hearing his argument, the court told the petitioner, “Your main prayers are based on Supreme Court directives. Therefore, you should file a contempt petition in the Supreme Court,” and disposed of the petition.