No need for SIT to probe sexual offence: Delhi Police
NEW DELHI: There is no need for a district-wise Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe sexual offence cases, as sought in a PIL for speedy disposal of such matters, since they are monitored by senior officers right from the FIR registration stage till the conclusion of probe, Delhi Police has told the high court. The police, in an affidavit filed before a bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice C Hari Shankar, has said it was “fully cognizant of the serious and grievous nature” of sexual offences and it has been doing its utmost to ensure that investigation in such cases is handled in an “efficient and time bound manner”.
It has further said that a committee of senior officers under the Special Commissioner of Police had deliberated on the issues raised in the PIL by NGO Delhi Citizen Forum for Civil Rights and decided that such cases “from the time of registration of FIR would be monitored by senior officers of the district” where the crime has been committed.
The affidavit by Delhi Police was filed in response to the PIL, which has sought setting up of fast track courts to deal with sexual offences, laying down a time limit for completing trial in such cases, a different department in the Forensic Sciences Laboratory (FSL) for evidence collection and a district-wise SIT to probe such matters.
The FSL has also filed an affidavit, saying the head of its office had on November 5 ordered that reports with regard to biological samples in sexual offences under IPC be ready in 45 days and those under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act be completed in 30 days. The bench listed the matter for hearing on March 18, 2020.
With PTI inputs