Pocso court ready with playroom for abused kids

KOLKATA: One may mistake the well-lit congenial setting, complete with toys and walls plastered with chart papers, for a creche or a playschool. But it is actually a playroom for child sexual offence victims inside the state’s first kid-friendly court to be inaugurated on Saturday.

Located on the fourth floor of Bichar Bhavan at Bankshal Court, the child friendly court, meant for speedy trials for sex crimes against minors, has been set up, keeping with the guidelines laid down by the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (Pocso) Act, which mandates the creation of a nonthreatening and secure atmosphere to make the survivors feel comfortable. Justice M B Lokur of Supreme Court will inaugurate the court, which will hear all the Pocso Act-related cases. “The Pocso Act is designed to mete out justice to children fallen victim to sexual and penetrative sexual assault, sexual harassment and pornography. It mandates guidelines to safeguard the interests of the youngsters at every stage of the judicial procedure by having child-friendly mechanisms for reporting, recording evidence, investigation and speedy trial through special courts. The child-friendly court will help provide a secure atmosphere to the victims,” said a senior lawyer at Bankshall Court, who takes up several Pocso cases.

The new court room has a playroom for minors with video conferencing facility, which will help the judges interact with the survivors, cutting out the physical presence of the accused, which can be intimidating. The facility will help the survivor identify the accused without having to face him. The 50-sq-ft playroom, fitted with two air-conditioners, an attached washroom and a comfortable seating arrangement, will be two chambers from the place, where the proceedings will be on, keeping the survivors away from it. The court will have a separate entrance for the survivors so that at no point will they have to face their tormentors. the accused will be in a separate enclosure, covered with glass.

Counsellors lauded the effort. “All these steps have been taken to protect the child, who is already scared. Seeing their tormentors can bring back scarring memories. It is essential that the survivor does not see the accused, even inside court,” said psychologist Sarbani Ray, who counsels several young abuse victims.

Unlike other courts, where the judge is seated on an elevated dais, judges at Pocso court will be on a slightly raised platform, making him more approachable. The cops inside the court will not be in their uniforms. “This court aims to create a congenial and secure atmosphere for the victims so that they can testify without any fear,” said Tarun Mukherjee, special public prosecutor at Bankshall Court.

Recently Justice Nadira Patherya, who heads the juvenile justice committee of Calcutta HC, held a meeting with the district officials to set up such child-friendly courts in districts and identify space.