In 3 weeks, Delhi’s six fast track courts get 500 rape cases

Three weeks after they were created for speedy disposal of cases of sexual assault, six fast track courts in Delhi are already grappling with approximately 500 cases, including 60 of gangrape.

And these are cases in which investigations have been completed and magistrates have taken cognizance of chargesheets, committing cases for trial. Many cases of sexual assault remain pending, still in the initial stages of investigation and remand in the courts of magistrates.

The FTCs, created in the wake of the outrage over the December 16 gangrape and torture of a 23-year-old woman who died in a Singapore hospital thirteen days later, began functioning from January 3.

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 (central and north Delhi).

Data gathered from the FTCs show that as of January 23, there were 114 rape cases, including 12 gangrape cases, before FTC Rohini and 120 cases, including 20 of gangrape, at FTC Saket.

The FTC for west Delhi in Tis Hazari has already been handed 65 rape cases, six of them gangrape. The FTC for central and north Delhi, also at Tis Hazari, has 58 cases, including four of gangrape and three of rape-and-murder.

At FTC Dwarka, there are 70 cases, including 11 of gangrape. The Dhaula Kuan gangrape case of 2010 is being tried at this court where examination of evidence is underway. At FTC Karkardooma, there are 73 cases, including eight of gangrape.

Available data with the National Crime Records Bureau and Delhi Police show that 635 FIRs alleging rape were registered across Delhi in 2012 alone. The NCRB records 459 rape cases registered in Delhi in 2009, 510 in 2010 and 568 in 2011.

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