Chennai, June 23: The Madras High Court was informed on Monday that the Tamil Nadu government is developing a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to expedite investigations, prosecutions, and trials related to sexual offenses against women and children.
Advocate General Vijay Narayan presented this information to a division bench comprising Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice G. Arul Murugan. He stated that the government has prioritized strengthening the necessary infrastructure for the swift resolution of such cases.
The Advocate General noted that delays often occur during the investigation phase of sexual offense cases, primarily due to the time taken to receive forensic science reports, particularly DNA analysis. To address this issue, the government plans to expand DNA testing facilities across the state.
He pointed out that many regional forensic science laboratories in Tamil Nadu currently lack DNA testing capabilities, which contributes to delays in completing investigations and filing charge sheets. The government intends to establish additional facilities and upgrade forensic infrastructure to ensure faster processing of evidence and investigations.
These statements were made during the hearing of a writ petition filed by a 26-year-old rape survivor, who sought the High Court‘s intervention regarding delays in initiating trial proceedings in her case.
According to the Advocate General, the petitioner was allegedly raped by two police officers in Tiruvannamalai district in September 2025. He informed the court that a single judge of the High Court had dismissed the accused’s petitions for discharge on June 4.
Following the dismissal of those petitions, the trial court framed charges against the accused on June 17, with the trial set to commence on June 24.
The Advocate General also emphasized the need for judicial authorities to conduct daily trials in sexual offense cases. He urged the High Court to ensure that trial judges are sensitive to these matters, thereby guaranteeing that proceedings are completed within the two-month timeframe stipulated by Section 346(1) of the Indian Penal Code.
In light of these discussions, the division bench directed the Tamil Nadu government and the Registrar General of the Madras High Court to submit a detailed report within two weeks. This report is expected to include data on pending sexual offense cases involving women and children, as well as details on existing infrastructure and additional requirements necessary for ensuring expedited investigations and trials.
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