Maha conviction rate improves to 15.2 per cent: Patil

The conviction rate in Maharashtra, said to be worst in the country, has improved marginally to 15.2 per cent in last six months of 2013, state Home Minister R R Patil said today.
The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) figures for 2011 show that Maharashtra has the worst conviction rate in the country lagging behind even Bihar and Uttar Pradesh at abysmal single-digit 8.2 per cent.
Meanwhile, the senior NCP leader also sought to link the poor conviction rate to growing number of cases filed sans enough evidence in courts of law in the state.
"The conviction rate has improved. Earlier, it was 8.7 per cent but in the last six months it has gone up to 15.2 per cent," Patil said.

Observing that this improvement is far from being satisfactory, Patil said cases are filed in courts without sufficient evidence, apparently resulting in low convictions.
"Many a times, we see that cases are filed in courts without sufficient evidence. (Ideally), cases should be filed with sufficient evidence only...In Maharashtra we see each and every case is taken to court. If this is done, the pendency of cases before courts will come down," Patil said.

On growing incidence of custodial deaths in the state, Patil wondered as to how could the death of a person due to natural causes while in jail be construed as death in custody.

"In other states, natural deaths are not considered as custodial deaths. We are going to write National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) to alter this disparity in existing norms on defining custodial death," the Home Minister said.
He said as per norms, the CID conducts inquiry into death of an accused in custody.
Patil lamented that the government was being unfairly criticised despite strict implementation of law on custodial deaths as prescribed by the human rights commission.