National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) chairperson Priyank Kanoongo has unequivocally emphasised that all child sexual assault and minor rape cases compulsorily have to be brought under the POCSO Special Court.
No other courts have jurisdiction over Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) cases. He said this today at a press conference held by the NCPCR in the Secretariat after a review meeting on child rights with various departments.
Kanoongo was responding to a question on whether the district council courts had the authority to hear POCSO cases as there were reports that child rape case was allegedly pending in the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) court for the last 14 years. It was reported in the Highland Post.
“We have no knowledge of this, but we will take it up with the Meghalaya High Court” he said.
Meanwhile, there were 938 POCSO cases received by the Child Welfare Committee in the last three years. The number of cases referred by the Child Welfare Committee to the District Legal Service Authority for legal aid assistance in the last three years was 74.
As per government data, this year till the month of March a total of 38 POCSO cases were registered in the state, out of which 11 cases have been chargesheeted. Final reports of two cases have been submitted to the court and 25 cases are pending investigation.
Meghalaya registered 404 POCSO in 2023 out of which, 239 cases were chargesheeted.
Meanwhile, the NCPCR has directed the government to make immediate release of special relief to 125 POCSO victims as per the new POCSO Rules, 2020.
