With jump of 8%, City police touches 22% conviction rate in 2013

HEADS 2011 2012 2013

Murder 21%          25% 32%

Att Murder 13%          29% 12%

Rape 20%           135 22%

Kidnapping 3%            0% 20%

Total Thefts 3%            9% 9%

Cheating 4%            6% 0%

Dowry Death 0%            25% 0%

Molestation 2%            0% 21%

Sexual Harassment 6%    21% 33%

Total         4%          13% 22%

More rapists, murderers, dacoits sent to prisons by courts 

By Dheeraj Fartode 

Under fire for growing spurt in street crime, City Police has at least one good reason to smile. After years of setback on legal front, the investigating machinery has finally ensured a better conviction rate

and it has touched a new high of 22 per cent in the year 2013. Compared to 14 per cent in 2012, the conviction rate has witnessed a healthy eight per cent jump in one single year, that is, in 2013- a high for any one year. 

The conviction rate was only 4 per cent in 2011, sending alarm bells among top brass of State Police. Director General of Police Sanjeev Dayal took a keen interest in improving the State’s conviction rate. Home Department and Dayal maintained a positive pressure on cops throughout the State, and issued guidelines from time-to-time. 

A special committee headed by Dr Nikhil Gupta (IPS) was constituted and the panel had suggested many reforms in existing system to effectively secure better conviction. Similarly Justice M L Pendse panel appointed by the State Government too has been implemented which helped in improving conviction in serious crimes. 

As far as City Police is concerned, conviction rate in 2013 is more than 30 per cent in cases of murder, dacoity, sexual harassment, and other IPC crimes. The rate in murder cases was 21 per cent in 2011, 25 per cent in 2012, and improved to 32 per cent in 2013. A total of 71 murder cases were decided in the court in 2013 and police succeeded in ensuring punishment to accused in 23 cases. 

In cases of dacoity, conviction rate was 38 per cent in 2013. It was merely 6 per cent in 2011 and 9 per cent in 2012. Still, the conviction rate in dacoity cases looks impressive only in terms of percentage, as only eight cases were decided in the court and only three of the accused got convicted. 

Conviction rate in these crimes was hardly 3 per cent in 2011 and 17 per cent in 2012. In all, 964 cases were decided in the courts and 372 were convicted by the courts. In burglary cases also, conviction improved from 13 per cent in the previous year to 19 per cent in 2013. It was 11 per cent in 2011. Courts decided 135 cases and convicted 26 accused. 

It can be mentioned that conviction rate in thefts, burglary, robbery and dacoity cases depends on seizure of valuables. In many cases, police arrest accused after he disposes off stolen property. And, it becomes a hearculean task for Investigating Officer to recover stolen property. In many instances, even if the cops are successful in seizing the stolen property, they face another difficulty as victims do not have any concrete proof about ownership of the property. Very rarely, in such cases, eye-witness is available. These factors badly affect the fate of case and criminal courts are left with very little choice but to acquit the accused due to absence of any provable evidence. 

Minor scuffles between groups, neighbours are classified under the head of ‘hurt cases’. However, as the cops do not get proper evidence/witness, conviction rate is poor in these cases. Everyday, three hurt cases are reported in the city. 

Court decided 371 cases of hurts in 2013 and in only 16 cases there was conviction which translates into a very poor 4 per cent conviction rate. Still, it is better compared to 2011 and 2012 when conviction rate was a pitiable 2 per cent and 1 per cent respectively. Sometimes out-of-court agreement also took place between complainant and victim, and cases do not go to the stage of conviction. In some cases, as complainant or witnesses are not forthcoming, the court acquits the accused. 

Conviction rate in other IPC crimes has also registered considerable improvement, giving the cops a reason to smile. The rate in other IPC crimes was 39 per cent last year.

District Government Pleader Vijay Kolhe attributed this success to much better co-ordination between city police and prosecutors. Improving convicting is not a over-night phenomenon, but requires better sensitisation of prosecutors, IOs, improving quality of evidence, adoption of scientific investigation process, effective presentation of cases from registration of offence stage itself and presenting gathered evidence in best possible manner to secure conviction remained our strategy and I am happy that it worked, Adv Kolhe stated with a sense of satisfaction. 

9% rise in conviction in rape cases 

Call it the impact of better sensitisation or increased sensitivity especially after Delhi gang-rape case, the conviction rate in rape cases in Nagpur city increased from 13 per cent in 2012 to 22 per cent in 2013. In 2012, of a total 23 accused in different cases, only five were convicted. Sources said that the cops need to work more to make a case water-tight to get conviction. In molestation cases, police have done a fantastic job and achieved 20 per cent conviction rate which was ‘nil’ in 2012 and merely 2 per cent in 2011. In all, 19 molestation cases were decided in the court, and the court convicted the accused in four cases. 

It was noticed that, during proceedings of courts which drag for years, victims are reluctant to depose, since post-marriage they want to forget the past or avoid so called social stigma. However, the improvement in the conviction rate shows that the police have managed to boost morale of the victim.

Conviction improves in kidnapping cases also 

The conviction of accused has improved in cases of kidnapping also. The court convicted three accused including Ayush Pugalia, who was accused in sensational kidnapping-and-murder case of 8-year-old Kush Kataria. Police registered 20 per cent conviction rate in 2013. It was ‘nil’ in 2012 and 3 per cent only in 2011. 

Slight improvement in riot conviction 

The conviction rate in riot cases registered a slight increase of 1 per cent over the previous year. Conviction rate in riot cases was 23 per cent in 2012. It improved to 24 per cent in 2013. A total of 189 cases were decided in 2011, 114 in 2012, and 104 in 2013. 

No conviction in cheating, arson 

City Police performance can be described as poor show in the cases of preparation of dacoity, cheating, arson, and dowry deaths as all accused were released by the court due to lack of substantial evidence. The cops could not ensure conviction in single case in 2013. In cases of preparation of dacoity, conviction rate was 11 per cent in 2012 and 9 per cent in 2011. In cheating cases, conviction rate was 6 per cent in 2012 and 4 per cent in 2011. For past three years, there is not a single conviction in cases of arson. In cases of dowry death also, conviction rate was ‘nil’ in 2013. 

According to experts most of the aggrieved complainants who lodge cheating or criminal breach of trust cases against accused, have only only purpose to get their money back. Often, cunning culprits convince their unsuspecting victims that if they are lodged in police custody or convicted, then they should forget about their money or promised return. Surprisingly, this seemingly simple trick has worked in favour of scamsters who have gobbled huge public money in recent past. 

Joint efforts bore fruits: CP 

Commissioner of Police K K Pathak told ‘The Hitavada’ that improvement in conviction rate could be attributed to joint efforts of City Police. “We have achieved overall 22 per cent conviction rate but we have to work more effectively in cases pertaining to many sections of IPC,” Pathak said. In future also, he added, City Police will not leave any stone unturned to put the accused behind bars.

Maha Lok Adalat effect 

However, more important factor is number of cases decided in the court and also by Maha Lok Adalat in which petty criminal cases were decided. As per the information, courts had decided 6,058 cases in 2011 as against total 6,565 cases reported in the city. In 2012, the court had given decision on 2,739 cases against reported 7,074 cases. The number fell down to 2,483 in 2013 against 8,366 reported in the city. District Government Pleader Vijay Kolhe told ‘The Hitavada’ that the figure of total decisions on the cases reached to 6,058 in 2011, and it was the initiative of Maha Lok Adalat. Hundreds of non-effective cases were disposed off in the 2011, he informed.