Rs 23 lakh to one family in SC-ST Act payout: Allahabad HC smells a scam, orders pan-UP probe

A Jhansi advocate and his family received Rs 23 lakh in relief across multiple SC-ST Act cases, with another 10 to 12 claims pending. The Allahabad High Court has now ordered a probe across Uttar Pradesh into repeated claims and possible misuse of the compensation system meant for victims under the SC-ST Act.

In Short

• UP advocate, family got Rs 23.36 lakh in SC/ST relief across multiple cases
• Another 10-12 relief claims by the advocate and his family remain pending
• Allahabad HC orders UP-wide scrutiny of possible misuse of SC/ST Act relief

An Uttar Pradesh-based advocate and his family received more than Rs 23 lakh in government's relief money across a string of SC-ST Act cases, with another 10 to 12 claims still awaiting consideration. The stunning revelation hinting at a rot in the compensation system prompted the Allahabad High Court to order an inquiry into all SC-ST Act-related claims and payouts across Uttar Pradesh.

The court said the Rs 23.36 lakh received by the family of Jhansi-based lawyer Santosh Kumar Dohrey and the frequency of their claims were significant enough to be examined for possible misuse, according to an important distinction made by Justice Santosh Rai. However, Rai underlined that repeated cases and compensation claims, by themselves, do not establish wrongdoing.

The case has now put the spotlight on a lesser-known provision of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act framework, financial relief that can be paid to victims well before an accused is convicted. Depending on the offence, the prescribed relief generally ranges from Rs 85,000 to Rs 8.25 lakh and can be released in stages, including after filing of the FIR and the charge sheet.

The recent controversy arose, ironically, because Dohrey and other appellants went to court claiming they had been paid too little. In two Jhansi cases registered in 2020, the investigating officers proposed relief of Rs 2 lakh per victim. The claimants argued that Rs 1.5 lakh per person should have been released at the charge-sheet stage, but only Rs 75,000 each was paid, according to court documents. A Special Judge in a lower court had rejected their applications for the balance, prompting them to appeal before the High Court.

WHAT IS THE MONEY PAID IN SC-ST ACT CASE AND WHO PAYS IT?

The money paid to a complainant is not a fine recovered from the person accused of the caste atrocity. It is statutory government relief meant to give immediate financial assistance and rehabilitation to victims of offences covered by the SC/ST Act.

Rule 12 of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Rules lays down minimum relief for different offences, with the amount and stages of payment varying according to the offence. The rationale is that a victim from the two disadvantaged groups should not have to wait years for a criminal trial to end before receiving help.

In the Jhansi case, for instance, the investigating officers proposed Rs 2 lakh per victim under the relevant entry. Of this, 25% was payable at registration of the FIR, another 50% after the charge sheet was sent to court and the final 25% after conviction.

The monetary relief for the aggrieved parties from the SC and ST communities comes from public funds. The Act places responsibility for implementation on state governments, while the Centre also provides assistance under a Centrally Sponsored Scheme. The Union Social Justice Ministry says Central assistance covers, among other things, "relief and rehabilitation of atrocity victims/dependents". Under the scheme, eligible expenditure over and above committed liabilities is generally shared 50:50 between the Centre and states with legislatures.

The scale of such a monetary relief is substantial. Government data show that 99,216 people across India were provided relief under the scheme in 2024-25. Uttar Pradesh accounted for 20,074 of them. In 2023-24, UP reported 19,240 such beneficiaries, and 23,828 people were provided the funds in 2022-23, according to the Union Social Justice Ministry.

The relief goes to the SC/ST survivor of an atrocity or, where applicable, the victim's family members or dependants, according to amounts prescribed for the particular offence. After a case is registered, the District Magistrate, Sub-Divisional Magistrate or another authorised Executive Magistrate is responsible for arranging the relief, while the Superintendent of Police and district administration asses the case, losses and rehabilitation requirements.

The money comes from government funds, with states implementing the scheme and the Centre providing financial assistance. A Special Court can step in if the prescribed relief is delayed, inadequate or only partly paid.

HOW RS 23 LAKH PUT THE JHANSI FAMILY UNDER SCANNER

When Dohrey approached the High Court seeking the balance payment, the Uttar Pradesh government placed a much larger record before the bench. According to the state's counter-affidavit, Dohrey, an advocate, and members of his family had already received a cumulative Rs 23,36,250 as relief or financial assistance under the SC-ST Rules and connected schemes in various criminal cases registered over time.

There was more. The state told the court that approximately 10 to 12 criminal cases lodged by Dohrey and/or his family members were pending before the District Level Committee for further relief.

The appellants did not deny the Rs 23.36 lakh figure before the High Court, the judgment records.

That was enough to raise questions, but not enough for the court to declare the claims fraudulent.

"Recurrent registration of criminal cases followed by claims for relief, without more, does not by itself establish misuse," Justice Rai said. However, he added that the "scale and frequency" of the claims could not be left unexamined.

The High Court didn't find that Dohrey or his family fraudulently obtained Rs 23 lakh. It has ordered an enquiry to find out whether there was misuse.

WHAT ALLAHABAD HIGH COURT ORDERED IN SC-ST ACT COMPENSATION CLAIMS

The District Magistrate of Jhansi, working with the Senior Superintendent of Police, has been directed to conduct a "thorough, fair and time-bound enquiry" into the criminal cases involving Dohrey and his family and the relief received or claimed by them.

The enquiry has to determine whether the provisions meant for victims were misused and must be completed within three months of the certified copy of the order being produced. If misuse by claimants or officials processing or sanctioning claims is established, the state has been told to take action according to law.

But the court went considerably further in ensuring that justice was truly made. It ordered the Uttar Pradesh government to conduct a "broad-based and intensive enquiry throughout the State" into how SC-ST Act benefits are claimed and disbursed, particularly where the same people or members of the same family make repeated claims and get paid.

The government has also been asked to develop an effective regulatory and supervisory mechanism in every district and examine whether sufficient verification takes place before public money is released. Special SC/ST courts across UP have similarly been told to remain alert to possible misuse without denying genuine victims their lawful benefits.

At the same time, the High Court actually ruled in favour of the appellants on an important part of their original grievance. It held that the Special Judge was wrong to effectively wash his hands of the compensation dispute. Rule 12(7), the court said, provides a "judicial check" against delayed, inadequate or arbitrarily curtailed relief. The two applications have therefore been sent back for fresh consideration.

NOT THE FIRST TIME COURTS HAVE FLAGGED MISUSE

On one hand, only about a third of SC-ST Act cases that reached a verdict ended in conviction in 2024. On the other, the episode in Jhansi and at the Allahabad High Court highlights a concerning issue. This was not the first time a court has flagged alleged misuse of the SC-ST Act's compensation provisions. In some cases, courts have found abuse of the law and have ordered recovery of compensation already paid.

In November 2025, the Allahabad High Court ordered a Dalit woman and her two daughters-in-law to refund Rs 4.5 lakh received as compensation after finding serious abuse of the legal process in a case involving 19 accused. The court described misuse of the beneficial provisions for wrongful financial gain as a "fraud on the State".

In another case from Uttar Pradesh, the Allahabad High Court took note of a family that had lodged seven cases against the accused and received Rs 4.83 lakh in state compensation, reported LiveLaw. The investigating officer had recorded concerns that multiple cases appeared to have been lodged to obtain government financial assistance.

Outside Uttar Pradesh, the Karnataka High Court has also dealt with a similar pattern. In a 2023 case, the court found that a complainant had registered three cases with similar allegations in about a year and received Rs 3.5 lakh in government assistance. While quashing one of the cases, the Court directed recovery of Rs 1.5 lakh paid to him, reported The Hindu in December 2023.

The Dohrey case is different because no finding of misuse has yet been made against him or his family. But its implications are potentially wider. It extends beyond the family, with the High Court ordering a probe across Uttar Pradesh.

The case began with Dohrey's claim of an unpaid Rs 75,000. It has now prompted the High Court to order scrutiny of how taxpayer-funded SC-ST Act relief is being claimed and disbursed across Uttar Pradesh. Now, the challenge would be to find out if compensation given under the SC-ST Act was being claimed fraudulently, and if that is the case, to prevent its misuse without making genuine victims of caste atrocities being denied monetary support.

- Ends