This is with reference to your report, "Rape convict teacher sentenced to 11 years rigorous imprisonment". I wish to criticise the verdict announced by a "Fast Track Special" court. None of those words were honoured - neither fast track nor special. It took two years to commence the case and four years to conclude it. Secondly, a teacher committing multiple crimes, sexually abusing a minor, and breaching a position of trust should be treated as a special case. Yet the verdict of 11 years and a Rs50,000 fine is a mockery of the word special. Recently, the brutal rape and murder of a young girl in Pune’s Nasrapur village triggered widespread outrage. The accused was revealed to be a repeat offender. The purpose of fast track and special courts is not only to deliver fair and timely judgments but also to send a strong message to potential criminals. We have another similar case at hand - the Soham Naik POCSO case. With the way it is proceeding, we will soon lose hope in the judiciary. Swift, exemplary punishment is the only deterrent.
