Child Rights panel seeks report
SHILLONG: There are over 1,000 cases under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) pending in the state.
According to official data, there were 1,178 registered cases under POCSO in special courts as on December 2019. Out of these, 1,142 are pending.
Twenty cases were convicted while sixteen cases were disposed of.
However, details from South West Khasi Hills are not available.
The State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has sought a report on the number of pending cases in the state.
An official source pointed out varied factors which lead to pendency of cases ranging from tardy investigation to absence of fast track and special courts.
In East Khasi Hills, there are 337 cases after one was transferred to Juvenile Justice Board (JJB). West Khasi Hills has 106 pending cases out of 110; four cases were disposed of with remarks that they were kept in abeyance as the accused was declared absconder.
In Ri Bhoi district, three were acquitted, two were convicted and eight cases were disposed of leaving 120 pending.
In West Jaintia Hills, there are 218 pending cases. Of the 228 registered cases seven were convicted, two acquitted and one disposed of as the accused expired.
In East Jaintia Hills, 76 of 87 registered cases are pending after eight were convicted, two were acquitted and one was disposed of as the accused expired.
West Garo Hills, North Garo Hills and South Garo Hills have 231 pending cases out of 232 registered.
West Garo Hills has 188 cases with no conviction, acquittal or disposal of cases, while in North and South Garo Hills districts, the number of pending cases is 43 out of 44 as one case was disposed of.
In East Garo Hills, there are 24 pending cases out of 30 registered (convicted 3 and acquitted 3).
In South West Garo Hills, there are 30 pending cases.
Investigations
As per the quarterly report (October-December, 2019), in East Khasi Hills, the number of cases pending investigation is 18 while in Ri Bhoi it is eight with one case charge-sheeted. West Jaintia Hills makes it to the list with 10 cases pending investigation and one charge-sheeted.
West Khasi Hills has seven cases under investigation with no charge sheet while South West Garo Hills has one pending investigation and one was charge-sheeted. West Garo Hills has 34 cases pending investigation and one was charge-sheeted.
There are 14 cases under investigation in North Garo Hills and three were charge-sheeted.
The Commission is yet to receive statements from South West Khasi Hills (Mawkyrwat), East Jaintia Hills (Khliehriat), South Garo Hills (Baghmara) and East Garo Hills (Williamnagar).