133 cases of minors disposed in one day, HC orders scrutiny

Shocked by the information that Juvenile Justice Board at Pune disposed of as many as 133 cases involving juvenile offenders in a single day, the Bombay High Court has directed the Principal Judge of Pune District Court to call for records and re-examine the cases.
The Principal Judge will submit a report on irregularities, if any, in the proceedings of 132 cases, while in one case (on which the High Court passed this order) has been remanded back to the Juvenile Justice Board.
The case before HC pertained to conviction of a boy on the basis of guilty plea tendered by his mother.

The bench asked the Board to ignore the order of conviction, as the juvenile himself had not confessed to crime. In its March 8 order, bench of Justices Ashok Bhangale and Abhay Oak asked the Board to reexamine the case and decide in three months.
Further, the HC directed Principal District Judge, Pune, to call for the records of 132 cases which were disposed of by the Board on a single day (September 16, 2012) because the juveniles involved in each case had pleaded guilty.
After this, the Principal District Judge shall submit a report within four months, to be placed before an appropriate HC bench for consideration and further action.

"How so many cases which require application of mind and require reasoned orders to be passed could have been disposed of on a single day is a question which needs to be seriously inquired into," the HC said.