Delhi High Court Imposes ₹20K Costs on Litigant for Misusing SC/ST Victim Compensation Scheme

The Delhi High Court has imposed ₹20,000 costs on a litigant for abusing the victim compensation scheme under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

A division bench upheld a single judge’s rejection of the plea, noting that the litigant had amicably settled the matter with the accused and previously received ₹2.4 lakh in a similar 2014 case.

The Court found repeated claims against the same person suspicious and imposed costs to deter further misuse of the compensation scheme. (Balbir Meena v. State Gov NCT of Delhi & Ors.)