Justice continues to elude many victims of sexual assault cases registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act in Villupuram district.
Statistics available with the district police reveal that the number of cases of acquittal are far higher than those convicted over the last few years. The reason for this worrisome trend according to prosecution officials, is mainly witnesses turning hostile and the prevalence of a complicated procedure wherein police are constrained to file an appeal only through the government, resulting in inordinate delays.
In 2016, as many as 96 cases were registered under POCSO across the district, but conviction was recorded in only one case, while 51 other cases ended in acquittal. In 2017, the number of cases dropped to 90, but conviction was nil while the number of cases of acquittal stood at 14. In 2018, as many as 89 cases were reported of which two ended in acquittal.
Villupuram Member of Parliament D. Ravikumar, who held a review meeting with senior police officials at the District Police Office, on Tuesday told The Hindu , “Among the 493 cases reported from 2013 to October 31, 2019, only seven persons were convicted. As many as 163 cases ended in acquittal, while 278 cases are under trial. About 26 cases have not been taken on file while 10 cases are under investigation.
“I have asked the reasons for the poor conviction rate. The major reason cited by the Superintendent of Police is that the parties arrived at out of court settlement in most of the cases. We have planned some awareness programmes to publicise the POCSO Act among school students,” he said.
At present, trial in POCSO cases is conducted only in the Mahila Courts. There is no designated Special Court as stipulated by the Supreme Court. The proceedings are held in open court. The settlement of ‘Victim Relief Fund’ is also not satisfactory.
Out of 279 POCSO cases, proposals to provide relief fund to the victims have been sent only in 146 cases so far. Major attention is required in child abuse cases and the prosecution should also ensure conviction in all cases, Mr. Ravikumar said.
A senior police officer said that though the Police had been registering cases on receiving complaints, the witnesses invariably turn hostile and arrive at a compromise. Most of the cases are love affairs and elopements, he said.
Prosecution officials claimed that compensation awarded at the interim stage in such cases are only meant for relief and rehabilitation of the victims. But in several cases the compensation amount is handed over to the parents.
During the course of trial they arrive at a compromise with the accused, leading to an acquittal. The compensation should henceforth be deposited in the form of a fixed deposit in the name of the victim, they added.
