Chennai

Perusing the status report filed by Seema Agarwal, ADGP, Crimes against Women and Children; R Lalvena, Social Defence Commissioner and S Madhumathi, Secretary, Social Welfare and Nutritious Meal Programme, a division bench comprising Justice M Sathyanarayanan and Justice AA Nakkeran said the stakeholders should remember that it was the parents who suffered the most in such cases. “The need of the hour is the coordination between various stakeholders.”

The bench added that the Juvenile Justice Committee functioning under the High Court may be entrusted with the task of monitoring and overseeing the coordination between stakeholders.

Noting that any delay in investigation would result in disappearance of evidence, it stressed on scientific investigation, and periodical monitoring and follow up.

The bench sought the ADGP to act in coordination with other investigating agencies and put in a curriculum to train the personnel periodically to update their knowledge on investigating such crimes. The services of the Tamil Nadu State Judicial Academy may also be utilised, the court said.

The bench led by Justice Sathyanarayanan also recorded the various aspects revealed in the status report, including the creation of separate police wing to deal with crimes against women and children, Child Friendly Corners set up in all the 194 all women police stations (AWPS), and that 43 Anti Child Trafficking Units (ACTUs) were investigating child kidnap and missing cases.

The status report of the Social Welfare Department said 1,031 child care institutions were shut down due to non-registration under the Juvenile Justice Act, and not fulfilling the norms and minimum standards given in guidelines of the Integrated Child Protection Scheme and in the Juvenile Justice Act respectively.

The bench posted the case to March 25 for further hearing.