Expedite setting up of fast-track special courts: Minister to West Bengal

New Delhi, August 31

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Women and Child Development Minister Annapurna Devi has slammed West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, who on Friday wrote a second letter to PM Narendra Modi for seeking exemplary punishments for heinous crimes like rape and murder.

Devi asked Banerjee to expedite the setting up of fast-track special courts to handle rape cases and said information contained in the CM’s letter was “factually incorrect” and appeared to be an attempt to cover up the delays in operationalising the fast-track courts by the state.

“With regard to the information contained in your letter about the status of FTSCs and exclusive POCSO courts in West Bengal, I may mention that according to information received from the Calcutta High Court, West Bengal has established 88 FTCs which are not the same as the fast track special courts covered under the Centre’s scheme,” Devi said in a letter to Banerjee.

The FTCs are set up and funded by the state governments in consultation with the concerned high courts to handle a broad spectrum of cases such as civil cases involving senior citizens, women, children, disabled persons, litigants affected by HIV-AIDS and other terminal illnesses, and civil disputes related to land acquisition and property/ rent disputes pending for over five years including cases of heinous crimes, the minister pointed out.

“In the FTCs in West Bengal, a total of 81,141 cases were pending as on June 30, 2024. The FTSCs are dedicated to deal with rape and POCSO Act cases. In spite of pendency of 48,600 rape and POCSO cases, the state has not operationalised additional 11 FTSCs which may be exclusive POCSO courts or combined FTSCs dealing with both rape and POCSO cases as per the requirement,” Devi said.

Responding to Banerjee’s observation on the need to post permanent judicial officers in the FTSCs, Devi said the FTSC scheme guidelines clearly provided for one judicial officer and seven staff members to work exclusively for the disposal of rape and POCSO Act cases. “Hence, an additional charge of FTSCs cannot be given to any permanent judicial officer or court staff. This position was clarified earlier to West Bengal,” she added.