The Delhi High Court has told a couple to plant 100 trees for employing a minor for household work and pay ₹1.5 lakh to the victim.
Justice Najmi Waziri said the FIR against the couple will be quashed subject to them fulfilling the two directions. It also directed two other persons, who were agents — through whom the girl was employed — to offer manual labour for planting and taking care of the trees.
“In the circumstances, the FIR and all proceedings emanating from there are quashed subject to costs of ₹1.5 lakh to be paid by petitioners No. 1 and 2 [couple] to respondent No.2 [the victim]...,” the High Court said. The court noted that the couple submitted they wanted to do some social work as an expression of contrition for causing unnecessary burden upon the administrative machinery engaged in the maintenance of law and order. It directed the couple to report to the Deputy Conservator of Forests (South) here, who shall assign them duties of planting the trees in the Central Ridge for 10 working days in compensatory afforestation or other schemes.
The court said the trees shall be of deciduous indigenous variety with a nursery age of three-and-a-half years and a height of at least six feet.
It said the forest officer may consider plantation of gular (cluster fig), pilkhan (white fig), jaamun (black plum), bargad (banyan), amaltas (golden shower) and mahua (butter tree) depending upon the soil and topography.
The officer would file an affidavit of compliance along with pictures of the plantation on or before March 25 before the court.
The FIR lodged at the Rajouri Garden police station here alleged that the minor was kept in illegal confinement for three months for household labour. She was brought to Delhi by the agents, apparently after getting consent from her father. It was alleged that the girl was physically assaulted whenever she made a mistake and was never paid. The Child Welfare Committee had directed them to pay wages and compensation to the victim.
