As many as 37 cases registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (PoCSO) Act between 2012 and 2017 in Dakshina Kannada have ended in acquittal. Of these, 24 cases had been registered by Mangaluru Police Commissionerate, while the district police had registered 13 cases.
A a meeting of District Level Child Protection Committee chaired by Additional Deputy Commissioner M.L. Vyshali here on Saturday, the police said that 433 cases were registered under PoCSO Act between 2012 and 2017. Of these cases, 314 were pending before court, while 56 were being investigated. The police did not find any substance in 11 complaints and filed B reports.
Of the 27 cases pertaining to the city that were tried, only three ended in conviction of the accused. Of the 17 cases filed by the district police, only four resulted in conviction. Expressing concern over the poor conviction rate in PoCSO cases, the committee members asked the police and the prosecution to take extra care during trial and ensure justice to the victims.
On the need for a building for the Special Court trying PoCSO cases, Secretary of Dakshina Kannada District Legal Services Authority Mallanagouda Patil said that there was no scope for it in the District Court Complex.
Mr. Patil said that the second Additional District and Sessions Court, which is designated as the Special Court for PoCSO cases, was trying PoCSO cases along with other criminal cases. Mr. Patil said that a detailed report has been sent to the High Court of Karnataka on the problems being faced by the Special Court in conducting trial in PoCSO cases.
The police submitted before the committee 188 cases registered between 2008 and 2018 involving juveniles that were pending before the Juvenile Justice Board. While 69 cases were under investigation, final reports were yet to be filed in 40 cases. Arguments have been addressed in 46 cases, while judgment is reserved in five cases. Juveniles were not appearing in 28 cases, the police said in the report submitted before the committee.
Child Welfare Committee president Renni D’Souza, District Child Protection Unit chief Usman, District Health Officer Ramakrishna Rao, Deputy Director of Women and Child Welfare Sundara Poojari and Superintendent of Government Wenlock Hospital H.R. Rajeshwari Devi attended the meeting.
