POCSO Court Slaps Fine on IO for Delayed Chargesheet in Assault Case

A POCSO Special Court fined an Investigating Officer for not submitting a timely chargesheet in a sexual assault case, despite having the FSL report months earlier. The court imposed a Rs 10,000 cost and a bailable warrant of Rs 5,000 on the officer, urging prompt judicial proceedings.

In a landmark decision, a POCSO Special Court headed by Judge Mona Tardi Kerketta has penalized an Investigating Officer (IO) with a Rs 10,000 fine and issued a Rs 5,000 bailable warrant. This move follows the officer's failure to present a supplementary chargesheet in a pending sexual assault case, despite having the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report for several months.

The allegations, set against the backdrop of a family dispute, were made by the victim against her uncle, father, and grandfather. The incident reportedly occurred in September 2023, with the complaint lodged in January 2024. Although the FSL report was prepared and collected in April, it was not submitted to the court until now, delaying the prosecution evidence, according to Advocate Aditi Drall.

Observing the 'casual approach' of the IO, the court took decisive action by penalizing the officer and mandating that, if the officer was transferred, the Station House Officer should ensure the penalty's payment. Interestingly, shortly after the ruling, the IO made a sudden appearance, submitting the requisite documents to the court. The next hearing is set for September 18.

(With inputs from agencies.)