HC seeks data on FIRs filed in crimes against women with or without direction from court

Stating that it was painful that police do not register complaints on sexual crimes on time, the Rajasthan High Court has sought from district judges data on all FIRs registered on orders of courts related to crimes against women and POCSO Act within their respective jurisdictions during the last six months.

Cases under IPC sections 376 (rape), 354 (assault with intent to outrage the modesty of woman), 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 304B (death caused by burn or injury), 306 (abetment of suicide) and 306B will be included in this.

A bench of Chief Justice S R Bhat and Justice Dinesh Mehta has also directed the state government to file an affidavit on the number of FIRs under same sections registered independently by police without directions from the court for the same period of six months.

"In both the cases, the statistics to be filed by the District Judges and figures to be provided by the state of Rajasthan, the period shall be from January 1 to June 20 this year, said the order of the court.

While giving the directions, the court expressed its displeasure to Additional Advocates General (AAG) Karan Singh, saying it was painful that the police do not file the report of sexual crimes on time.

The court has directed to submit the data in four weeks time from the date of order and has listed the matter for next hearing on September 24, said AAG Singh adding that based on the data, the court would draw conclusion about the seriousness of the police in dealing with crimes against women.

The bench gave these directions after taking suo motu note of "negligence" of the police in registering cases pertaining to crime against women in the state.

It appears that the administration and the police have turned incapable. There are the reports of rape one after another in the state. It is a matter of huge concern, the court had observed and issued notices to the state government on May 27.

The court had also summoned ADG (Civil Rights), who submitted before the court that the police was serious about such crimes and have been adopting hi-tech methods to deal with them