Gauhati High Court grants advocate the right to sponsor education for child born out of sexual assault

The Gauhati High Court recently witnessed a remarkable act of generosity as an advocate voluntarily stepped forward to ensure the educational well-being of a child born out of a sexual offense against a minor mother. The single-judge bench of Justice Achintya Malla Bujor Barua acknowledged the advocate's noble gesture, highlighting the importance of societal and state responsibility in such cases.

The case, initiated by the father of the victimized minor, sought compensation for a child conceived through a tragic incident when the mother was just 10 years old. The court, noting the lack of further state schemes beyond the victim compensation framework, emphasized the need for additional support, especially for the child's education.

Despite the State's provision of Rs. 4,000 per month to both the victimized mother and child, the court deemed this compensation insufficient, considering the long-term educational and financial needs of the child. Senior Government Advocate D. Nath acknowledged the inadequacy of the awarded compensation and disclosed the absence of additional state schemes to address such situations.

It was during this critical juncture that an advocate practicing before the Gauhati High Court voluntarily extended a helping hand. He pledged to personally finance the child's educational needs and further committed to mobilizing financial support from other willing sources for the child's future education.

In response, Justice Achintya Malla Bujor Barua remarked, "Let the educational requirements of the child be taken care of by [the advocate], and we also leave it to the discretion of [the advocate] to provide any further benefit that the child may otherwise need." The court emphasized the importance of regular interaction between the advocate, the child's family, and the petitioner's counsel to ensure the child's evolving needs are adequately addressed.