Chennai: Ensure speedy trial in criminal cases of offences against women and children, Madras high court has said, issuing a series of directions to special courts. The court also directed the DGP to ensure that the Singappen Special Task Force constituted by the state functions with the effectiveness envisaged. “The force shall ensure conduct of proper investigation of Pocso offences and timely production of witnesses before the trial courts. The special courts must ensure that the evidence of child victims is recorded within 30 days of cognisance of the offence and completion of the trial in one year,” the first bench of Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan said on Wednesday.“This court also directs that the four presently vacant Pocso courts in Cuddalore, Dindigul, Madurai and Tuticorin be filled at the earliest and that govt take an early decision on constituting the six special courts sanctioned, but not yet set up, reporting the progress made to this court through the registrar general within two months,” the judges said. “State govt and the registrar-general shall jointly ensure that Pocso cases are tried by a duly constituted special court under the Pocso Act, and that the presiding officers of such courts receive training in child sensitive procedure,” they said.Pocso special courts shall, as far as possible, after framing of charges, list such cases on consecutive or closely spaced dates, and shall restrict adjournments to genuinely exceptional circumstances, the court added.The committee for effective implementation of the Juvenile Justice Act and to regulate and monitor the progress of trials under the Pocso and NDPS acts shall regulate and monitor the progress of Pocso trials across the state and call for periodic compliance reports disclosing the date of cognisance, the current stage of trial and the reasons for delays beyond the statutory timelines, the bench said.The court passed the order on a plea moved by an assault survivor seeking speedy trial of crime against women and children by the special courts.
