Delhi fast track courts dispose 24 sexual assault cases in 3 weeks

In the three weeks since they came into being, Delhi's six fast track courts have disposed 24 cases of sexual assault on women.

Created after the uproar over the December 16 gangrape and torture of a 23-year-old woman who died in a Singapore hospital 13 days later, the six fast track courts (FTCs), which have already been handed approximately 500 cases of sexual assault on women, are moving swiftly to decide cases.

Of the six FTCs, two are located at the Tis Hazari complex — one for cases from west Delhi, the other from central and north Delhi. There is an FTC each in the court complexes at Rohini (north-west and outer Delhi); Saket (south and south-east Delhi); Dwarka (south-west Delhi); and, Karkardooma (east Delhi).

Additional sessions judge T R Naval, who presides over FTC Karkardooma, has disposed eight cases, convicting two accused in separate rape cases.

The FTC Dwarka, presided over by ASJ Virender Bhat, has disposed seven cases, convicting one person for rape.

ASJ Nivedita Anil Sharma of FTC Tis Hazari has disposed five cases, acquitting all accused for lack of evidence.

FTC Rohini, presided over by ASJ M C Gupta, has pronounced orders convicting the accused in two rape cases, including one of gangrape.

At FTC Saket, ASJ Yogesh Khanna, who is also hearing the December 16 gangrape case, has already disposed a case transferred to his court in the first week of January.

ASJ Kaweri Baweja at Tis Hazari too has disposed one case.

Cases are being transferred to the FTCs as and when they come up for hearing in the sessions courts where they are already being tried. The number of cases committed to trial in sessions courts will be clear in the coming weeks once the cases are transferred to the FTCs. This process of transfer, say sources in the courts, is likely to be completed by the first week of March.

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