By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The fast track court at Jowai has disposed of as many as 24 out of the 28 rape cases handed over to it without conviction between 2002 and 2012.
After carrying out a spot visit of the Jowai FTC, CSWO president Agnes Kharshiing on Saturday said as many as 188 cases are pending with the FTC, out of which 60 cases relate to rape.
“Non-conviction in the 24 cases disposed off by the FTC will pave the way for more heinous crimes to be committed against women and children in the State,” feared the CSWO president.
Kharshiing also informed that during the last five years the FTC had disposed of 239 cases.
During the inspection, Kharshiing also found out that between March 2012 and March 2013, about 59 rape cases were transferred from the judicial court to the Jowai FTC. “This implies an alarming increase in crime against women, especially rape, within the last one year,” she said. The CSWO president informed that she will file an RTI on all the cases to find out if there has been any lapse or tampering of evidences by the police, the doctors or the court.
Kharshiing also expressed concern over the recent appointment of junior and inexperienced lawyers as Additional Public Prosecutors in the State.