The Delhi Government will set up a fast track court for disposal of the Vasant Vihar bus gang-rape case as it wants to send out a strong message that violence against women will not be tolerated, said Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Monday.
Talking to The Hindu , Ms. Dikshit said the Government had consulted the High Court in the matter of expediting cases in the past too. “But in this case, we are of the view that strict punishment should be meted out to the culprits, and so tomorrow [on Tuesday] I will be discussing with the officials the possibility of having a fast track court to ensure speedy justice to the victim.”
Ms. Dikshit said she also did not want those behind such heinous crimes to be released on bail. “This is a shockingly extraordinary case. We want to ensure that the culprits are not granted bail under any circumstances. Stringent punishment for them is the need of the hour.”
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Though the government is only the “fund-providing agency for the courts,” Ms. Dikshit said she was confident that a special court will be set up to dispense justice at a rapid pace in this gang-rape case. Incidentally, two such fast track courts were set up in Rajasthan earlier for gang-rape trials.
Ms. Dikshit also lauded the role of Delhi Police in acting quickly in the matter. By late evening, the police had taken possession of a number of buses plying in South Delhi in order to nail the one in which the crime was committed.
A senior Transport Department official said the incriminating bus was one of the nearly 10,000 contract carriage vehicles that operate in the city. “These are point-to-point buses which are used by schools, office-goers and others for various purposes. They are issued permits by the Transport Department, but are not supposed to take passengers along the way.”
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The official said they are seen as “public service vehicles” in the Department.
“These buses are distinctly different from the stage carriage buses, on which passengers are picked at different points. The stage carriage buses include all the Delhi Transport Corporation buses and the private Cluster Scheme buses. The Blueline and Whiteline buses of yesteryears also came under this category.”
Meanwhile, the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Part has criticised the government for the deteriorating law and order situation in the Capital. Party national general secretary Vijay Goel said the number of heinous crimes, including rapes, taking place in Delhi showed that criminals have been emboldened as they believe they could escape the law.
“I will be meeting Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde to demand stringent action against the culprits. An example should be set to act as a deterrent for all the criminals.”