Patna, June 30: Fast track courts will be set up in Bihar to conduct speedy trial of cases lodged under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Minister for scheduled caste and scheduled tribes welfare department Jitan Ram Manjhi said this while speaking as the chief guest at a daylong workshop organised by the criminal investigation department’s complaint redressal cell at the planetarium. He added that the proposal to set up fast track courts for speedy disposal of the cases of atrocities against the members of SC/ST was under the active consideration of the government.

Expressing grave concern over the slow pace of investigation of the cases lodged under SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989 the Minister said that a large number of cases related to atrocities against the members of SC/ST were pending at different police stations in the state.

Manjhi said his department had come to know that even chargesheets were not filed by the investigating officers of such cases within the stipulated period, resulting in denial of justice to SC/ST members. “Senior police officers must look into the matter and try to improve the situation,” he added. The minister said the conviction rate of cases related to atrocities against the people belonging to SC/ST was much below the national average. He said the conviction rate of SC/ST cases in Bihar was about 16 per cent, while the national average was at 37 per cent.

Reiterating the state government’s commitment to ensure justice to the people belonging to SC/ST, Manjhi said the chief minister has already announced to set up 29 additional SC/ST police stations. “These police stations will be made operational by the end of this year,” he said, adding that there were only 10 such police stations in the state present.