Rape cases: Police to file chargesheet within 20 days

Saturday, 04/01/2014

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2014/20140104/delhi.htm#1

New Delhi : Asserting that women's security is of utmost priority, the Delhi Police is taking giant steps towards ensuring that they feel safe in the city.

The police will start filing chargesheets in rape cases within 20 days of the accused being arrested. A chargesheet is a formal document of accusation prepared by law enforcement agencies and submitted in a court of law. The development was shared by the Delhi Police Commissioner, Bhim Sain Bassi, at Delhi Police's annual press conference held here today.

The police issued an order today. The order says that the chargesheet will be filed within 20 days of the accused being arrested. If the chargesheet cannot be filed within 20 days, the matter will be brought to the notice of the Joint Commissioner of Police. And if the chargesheet still cannot be filed, then the issue will be raised to the Special Commissioner of Police (Crime) and Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order). The Special Commissioner of Police (Crime) will bring it to the notice of the Delhi Police Commissioner.

"The purpose behind this procedure is to ensure that the victim gets justice and it also acts as a deterrent for the criminals," said Bassi.

Police officers said that the maximum time for filing a chargesheet in a court of law is 90 days. The investigating officers, presently, take about a month to file a chargesheet in a rape case. Following the December 16 gangrape and murder of a 23-year-old girl, police officers started filing the chargesheet early, but there have been delays due to the wait for the Forensic Science Laboratory report and other scientific evidence.

According to the police statistics, 1,559 rape cases were registered in 2013 and only 680 registered in 2012.

"Ensuring free registration (of cases) has always been my priority. Needless to say, the process of providing justice to a victim of a cognisable crime cannot begin unless an FIR is registered upon a complaint...I guarantee that this year whatever crime needs registration will be registered and criminals will be caught," said Bassi.

The Police Commissioner also said that there was a need to give women capacity to fight back. "So we want to orient them towards self-defence. We will be writing to the government to introduce subjects for girls (in lower classes of schools). So when they become older and more vulnerable--not that they aren't at a lower age--they will be able to defend themselves," explained Bassi.