K'taka HC slams delay in trial of Pocso case, says system put to shame

The Karnataka High Court has said that the entire criminal justice system was put to shame as the trial in a case of rape and murder of a five-year-old girl has been pending for the past seven years. The Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, specifically mandates conclusion of the trial within a year, as far as possible. The High Court observed that delay in such cases, where the offences are heinous based on facts that are 'horrendous', is a sad reflection of the legal and judicial system. It also pointed out that though Section 35(2) of the POCSO Act mandates completion within one year, there are many cases pending before the trial courts concerned. Justice M Nagaprasanna made these observations while stating that though cognisance in the criminal case was taken against the two accused persons in 2017 itself, the offenders are yet to be brought to justice. One of the accused, Chandana, had moved the High Court for recalling nine witnesses for ...