The Bombay High Court today directed Maharashtra government to bear the expenditure that will be incurred for plastic surgery and other medical expenses of an acid attack victim. Aarti Thakur (25), an IT firm employee who was attacked with acid at suburban Goregaon railway station in Mumbai on January 31, 2012, is scheduled to undergo plastic surgery and other operations at the Nova Specialty hospital next week.

The state government had earlier said that Aarti's case cannot be considered for grant of monetary compensation under Manodhairya Scheme launched on October 2, 2013 as the incident was of a prior date.

The High Court had however, said that setting a cut-off date was arbitrary and contrary to a Supreme Court order directing a sum of at least Rs 3 lakh to be paid to rape victims and acid attack victims as after-care and rehabilitation cost.

The court had on the last hearing asked the government to respond by today whether it was ready to bear the medical expenses of Aarti's surgery.