Mumbai Doubles Fast-Track POCSO Courts To 14 As 13,331 Child Sexual Abuse Cases Await Trial

Mumbai: With the increase in pending cases of child sexual abuse in the city, six new fast track courts are set up. The strength of the designated special courts to deal with these cases is now 14 with a mandate to expedite the trial.

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10 special court in the city civil and sessions court, Kalaghoda, have been now made fast track court to exclusively deal with the cases of child sexual abuse registered under the Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Earlier there were only four court. Besides this, four special fast track courts have been designated at city civil and sessions court, Dindoshi for the cases under POCSO. With the strength of the courts have now been doubled to deal with huge pendency of these cases.

As per the records, total 13331 cases registered under POCSO court are still waiting for the trial. 6501, cases are pending at the sessions court, Kalaghoda while 6830 cases are pending at Dindoshi sessions court. The courts in Kalaghoda thus on an average would deal with 650 cases, while the courts at Dindoshi on an average will have to deal with 1712 cases which is still huge number.

Advocate Audrey Dmello, Director, Majlis, an organisation working for woman and children says that she hopes that this would help get justice faster. Majlis have been dealing with cases of child sexual abuse and act as a support person for victim before the special POCSO court since the act came in to being in 2012. 

Dmello said that as per law, the trial should be concluded within a year of filing of the chargesheet but the time mandate is not followed at all.

"Some of the cases that we have are as old as 11 years and the trial is still not over," Dmello said, adding that this adds further trauma to victim. She said that on several occasions the victims are called to testify but because some or the other reasons they are sent back without recording their testimonies.

"The sad part is these victims have to live with the trauma for years as most of the time the accused is either their family member or someone known," Dmello said adding that the addition of new courts hopefully may resolve the issue.

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