Despite 9 fast track courts, trial pending in 93% rape cases

New Delhi: Despite there being fast track courts to deal with rape cases, trial of more than 93 per cent of them are pending for the last three years.

Prosecution records reveal that the police worked out 3,936 of the 4,508 rape cases - which is slightly more than 87 per cent - reported between 2012 and 2014. Charge-sheets were filed in 3,575 of the 3,936 cases worked out.

However, trial of as many as 3,330 of the charge-sheeted cases, pertaining to the same period, are pending at courts.

"As per amendements in the law, incorporated after the December 16 incident, charge-sheets in connection with rape cases are to be filed within 20 days of work out," said a senior police official.

There are nine fast tracks courts in Delhi, which are exclusively set up to deal with cases of sexual assault. Six of them were set up in 2013 and three were added earlier this year.

The number of rape cases jumped three-fold from 706 in 2012 to 2,166 in 2014, largely due to increase in reportage and also because of amendments in the penal code, said the official.

However, number of cases withdrawn also jumped two-fold from 26 in 2012 to 52 in 2015, revealed records.

An analysis on rape cases conducted recently by Delhi Police shows that in around 77 per cent cases, the perpetrators were either relatives, friends or acquaintances, of which, around 15 per cent were cases of incest.

In around 16.5 per cent cases, the perpetrators were neighbours and they were colleagues in around 3 per cent cases.

In more than 52 per cent cases, the accused are aged between 18 and 25 years, revealed records.