# Delhi HC directs Rs 10.5 lakh, judge’s courage note for rape survivor 2026-09-28T21:46:57+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 2 independent outlets The Delhi High Court has directed that a 10-year-old rape survivor receive a printed copy of a trial judge's personal message of encouragement, along with Rs 10.5 lakh compensation. The order was passed on 22 September 2026 by a bench of Justice Prathiba M Singh and Justice Dinesh Bhatt. The trial court, led by Additional Sessions Judge Rajani Ranga, had in July 2026 sentenced convict Sumit Shakya to life imprisonment for raping the child, then aged seven, on 23 July 2023. Judge Ranga departed from formal legal language to directly address the child, writing: 'The man you called uncle will never walk free again. He will live in a cage for the rest of his life. He will die in that cage.' The High Court upheld the life sentence after considering evidence including forensic reports. It directed the District Legal Services Authority, North West Delhi, to print Judge Ranga's postscript and hand it to the child within two weeks, and to file a status report on the compensation. ## Indian Opinion Analysis Both NDTV and Times of India gave this story a neutral-report treatment, leading with the court's unusual personal note and the compensation order. Neither source questioned or framed the outcome politically. The coverage uniformly highlights the judicial branch's humanising gesture, a rare departure from procedural language, without adopting any partisan stance. The significance lies in the court's explicit message to the child, which may influence how other trial judges communicate with minor victims. The next step is DLSA's compliance and status report due within two weeks. The Delhi High Court's direction to print and deliver a trial judge's personal words alongside compensation marks a procedural innovation in victim communication. Both NDTV and Times of India reported it as straight news, with no political slant. ## Coverage - ndtv.com (neutral report) Led with judge's 'cage' quote, straight factual account - timesofindia.indiatimes.com (neutral report) Provided full text of judge's message, no editorial slant Tags: Delhi High Court, Justice Dinesh Bhatt, Justice Prathiba M Singh, POCSO Act Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/delhi-hc-directs-rs-10-5-lakh-judges-courage-note-for-rape-survivor/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/delhi-hc-directs-rs-10-5-lakh-judges-courage-note-for-rape-survivor/#story-in-brief