Panel to fast-track POCSO cases

NEW DELHI : Chief Justice of India SA Bobde on Monday set up a two-judge committee of Justice Subhash Reddy and Justice M R Shah of the Supreme Court of India to “monitor, supervise and make suggestions for expeditious trial in cases relating to rape and POCSO across the country.”

According to officials familiar with the matter, the committee initially will ask for all details of all first information reports (FIRS), charge sheets and trials pending in trial courts and give a report to the Chief Justice of India.

The setting of the committee comes in the backdrop of a series of heinous crimes against women, including the rape and brutal murder of a 26-year-old Hyderabad veterinarian by four men last month. The suspects were killed in a police encounter.

The central government has proposed to set up 1,023 special fast-track courts for speedy trial of over 166,000 pending cases of crimes against women and children across the country.

“Department of Justice, Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India has formulated a Scheme, on the lines of other Centrally Sponsored Schemes, for setting up of a total of 1023 Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCS) for expeditious trial and disposal of rape cases and cases under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The total estimated cost is ~767.25 crore, out of which Central share is ~ 474 crore. It has been proposed to set up 218 FTSCS in the State of Uttar Pradesh, Smriti Irani, the minister of women and child development, said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha in the winter session.

The central support of ~474 crore for one year will come from the Nirbhaya Fund, which was created by the Centre in 2013 after the December 16 gang rape and murder of a paramedical in 2012. It was created to support the initiatives of governments and NGOS working for the safety of women.