No judgements on rape cases in last 11 months

TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: The courts in Goa have not pronounced a single judgement on rape cases in the last 11 months with 15 out of 34 cases charge sheeted during this period, still pending trial. 
The remaining 19 cases are being investigated by different police stations. Seventeen persons are being investigated and one has been booked under Section 169 of the Criminal Penal Code (CrPC).
Home Minister Manohar Parrikar’s reply to a starred question by Congress’ Valpoi legislator Vishwajit Rane, says that 20 out of 38 persons arrested in the total cases reported from April 2012-Febraury 2013, are facing trial.
The overall figures include the investigation of the horrific rape of a seven-year-old girl student in a school toilet this January. The 20-member special investigating team is still groping in the dark about the whereabouts of suspects and is yet to get any clues.
Forty three rape cases were reported from different parts of the State during the financial year 2011-12, of which 24 were charge sheeted.
This year, 46 persons were arrested for their alleged involvement in rape cases, of whom 30 were charge sheeted.
The prosecution was not able to secure any conviction as the court passed verdict in only one case, which was an acquittal. Six persons were acquitted in the case.