No driving & arms licences to rape, molestation convicts

Haryana Director General of Police, BS Sandhu on Friday directed the police officers to verify arms as well as driving licences of those who are accused or convicted by the Court in rape, molestation charges and under Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act. 

In case, the accused is convicted, he would not be eligible for these facilities anymore, the DGP said.

Sandhu was reviewing the progress of Chief Minister’s announcements made during ‘Ek Aur Sudhar Programme’ through a video conference with all range IGs, Commissioners of Police and district Superintendents of Police at Police Headquarters.

As per Chief Minister’s announcements made on July 12, people convicted in rape cases in Haryana will now be debarred from Government facilities such as arm and driving licenses, old age pension, pension for the physically disabled persons.

Sandhu also directed to speed the process of verification to get the arms licences cancelled of such persons in the state.

Reviewing the time frame fixed for investigation in rape and molestation cases, the DGP said that as per Chief Minister’s announcement, the investigation officer would have to complete the investigation into a rape case in one month, and in eve-teasing within 15 days, otherwise action would be taken against him.

He also directed them to monitor the progress of such cases on weekly basis. The progress would be reviewed again in the first week of September, he added.

In view of rise in cases of crime against women in the state, Sandhu directed the police officers to personally monitor the complaints pertaining to crime against women and ensure that such kind of complainants should be promptly registered in police stations of the State.

The DGP said that safety and security of every citizen is paramount, especially of women and children.

Senior officers should be more proactive to deal with such cases and they should initiate immediate action on complaints of sexual offences, Sandhu said.

He cautioned that services of those police officers would also be placed under suspension who would not register complaint concerning rape and molestation in their respective police stations.

All the women police stations are directly working under the supervision of SP/DCP concerned. They should personally verify such cases and ensure that women or girl should not face any trouble in registration of case, he said.

Notably, from April 2017 to January 31 this year, a total of 9196 cases of crimes against women were registered in Haryana.  8999 cases of crimes against women were registered in 2015-2016, which increased to 9499 in previous fiscal 2016-17, according to the Government’s data.

The DGP has also asked the police officers to popularize android based ‘Durga Shakti App’ of Haryana Police, recently launched by the Chief Minister with an objective to provide immediate police help to women in case of any emergent situation.

The mobile app was launched with the sole objective to provide a safety tool in the easiest manner to the women and girls, he said.

Describing the safety and security of women and girls as one of the top priority of the State Government, he said that all the officers should carry out a special campaign in Universities and other educational institutes to make the App more popular. Our desired objective to launch the App would only be achieved when every women and girl should have this App in their android mobile phone, he said.

Sandhu also announced a reward of Rs 50,000, Rs 30,000 and Rs 20,000 to first three best performing districts who would make it more popular among the stakeholders.

He also asked the ADGP (Operations), AS Chawla to ensure wide publicity of the App through advertisements. The number of download should reach to lakhs by August 15, he added.

Sandhu also directed them to review the security arrangements of court complexes in their respective place of postings and submit a report within 10 days to the Police headquarters.

The hearings of gangsters and hardcore criminals in the Court should be carried out through video-conferencing as almost jails have this facility, he added.

Earlier, the Director General HQ, KK Mishra apprised about the women helpline number 1091, which has become popular to instill confidence and a sense of security amongst women in the State. 

He also briefed the officers about the Chief Minister’s announcements pertaining to Police Department. Mishra directed them to closely monitor the investigation and trial of heinous cases of crime against women and put the best resources available with them to prevent and detect such offences.