BHOPAL: While there is a national outcry for expediting trial in rape cases, the inordinate delay in DNA test report from a state forensic science lab has cast its shadow on the trial of a Class X student’s gang rape case before a fast track court in Mandsaur district of Madhya Pradesh.
A Class X student girl was allegedly abducted and gang-raped in Sitamau area of Mandsaur district on May 15, 2018 by five men, while she was on her way to school to get the examination results.
The gang-rape was reported to the Mandsaur police and all accused were arrested in the case. Since it is now mandatory as per Supreme Court guidelines to get DNA tests done in such cases as it constitutes make or break evidence in cases of sexual assault/rape, the relevant samples were sent by Mandsaur district police for DNA test at the state forensic science lab in Sagar in May 2018.
But with the DNA test report coming out only after 17 month in October 2019, the fast track trial in the case, which should have ideally been completed within two months or maximum within a year, is still underway before the fast track court in Mandsaur.
“The case was categorized as that of a heinous crime for fast-tracking its trial, but the delay in the DNA test from the SFL in Sagar has meant that the trial in the case got delayed inordinately. Delay in DNA test report is understandable also, as the lab in Sagar is the only lab in the state where such tests as evidence in rape cases are done,” Mandsaur acting district prosecution officer Nitest Krishnan said on Sunday.
“In cases registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act 2012 the trial should be completed maximum within a year. Further as per an amendment in the law in 2018, the fast track trial in rape cases should be completed within two months, but owing to delay in the DNA test report in this case registered under IPC sections pertaining to gang-rape as well as provisions of the 2012 law, the trial is still far from being over,” lamented Krishnan.
The elder brother of the gang rape survivor, meanwhile, alleged that owing to the long-drawn trial in the case, he and his sister were often getting threats from those related to the jailed accused. A few months back, my sister was even assaulted by some women known to one of the accused. “We’ve already registered a case in that matter. The trial is this matter is also underway,” said the alleged gang rape survivor girl’s brother.