Handling Pocso cases: HC recommends ACJ to constitute special bench

CHENNAI: A division bench of Madras High Court had recommended Acting Chief Justice T Raja to constitute a special bench to pass periodical directions to the police and others in order to handle the Pocso Act cases and cases against juveniles efficiently.

The bench of Justices PN Prakash and N Anand Venkatesh passed the direction while hearing a matter related to the case of tying mangalsutra to a school girl by a minor boy at the Chidambaram bus stand.

The bench has been passing a slew of directions pertaining to the conduct of police and other agencies in handling the Pocso and juvenile justice cases. While hearing the Chidambaram case booked against the boy, the judges transferred to the Cuddalore district juvenile justice board.

As there is a need to pass several directions and orders to law enforcement agencies, a special bench shall be formed as per the orders of the Acting Chief Justice, according to the bench.

The court also recommended the ACJ to place one of them i.e., Justice Anand Venkatesh shall be placed in the special bench to hear the Pocso and Juvenile cases along with the other judge.

It could be recalled that the bench expressed its dissatisfaction in connection with the act of Chidambaram police for arresting the minor boy who tied the knot to the school girl in broad daylight. The father of the girl approached the HC for directions to send her daughter back home from the government shelter.