cruelty. Section 357 provides power to award compensation to victims of the offence out of the sentence of fine imposed on accused. Time and again this Court has reiterated that it is an important provision but courts seldom invoke the same. It empowers the court to award compensation to victims while passing judgment of conviction. In addition to conviction, the court may order the accused to pay some amount by way of compensation to victim who has suffered by the action of accused. 20 In Hari Singh vs Sukhbir Singh and Others4, this Court held that the power to award compensation under Section 357 of the CrPC is not ancillary to other sentences, but it is in addition thereto. This power was intended to do something to reassure the victim that he or she is not forgotten in the criminal justice system. As observed in Hari Singh (supra), it is a measure of responding appropriately to crime as well as of reconciling the victim with the offender. It is, a constructive approach to crimes.