SC seeks data on pending cases of sexual offences against children

The Supreme Court on Monday sought data from High Courts across the country on pendency of cases of sexual offences against children under the stringent POCSO Act.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud gave the direction on a plea that had sought compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the parents of an eight-month-old baby, who was allegedly raped by her 28-year-old cousin here on January 28 this year in a locality near Netaji Subhash Place in north-west Delhi.

The plea, filed by lawyer Alakh Alok Srivastava, has also sought framing of guidelines that investigation and trial of cases involving rape of children below the age of 12 years, under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, should be completed within six months from the date of lodging of the FIR.

The court directed its Registry to communicate the order to the registrars general of the high courts seeking   district-wise detailed report on pendency of cases and posted the matter for hearing on April 20.

Huge pendency

During the hearing, the petitioner referred to the 2016 data of National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) and said only 11% of the total 1,01,326 POCSO cases have been decided by the trial courts in that year, which meant that 89% of the cases were still pending across the country.

"1,100 cases have been disposed of out of 1,01,326 cases," Srivastava said.