VIJAYAWADA: The average time taken to file chargesheets pertaining to cases of violence against women has significantly come down from 318 days to 42 days, thanks to the Disha measures that have also helped in reducing investigation time to 21 days.
In addition, police prevented as many as 900 crimes against women with the help of Disha SOS App. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs data, the average time taken to file chargesheets in rape and murder cases was 318 days between 2014 and 2019 and it has now come down to just 42 days.
When it comes to cases of gang rape, the average time taken during the same period was 257 days, which has been reduced to 40 days. Chargesheets pertaining to rape cases took an average of 261 days during 2014 to 2019, now, it has come down to 47 days. Similarly, the average time taken to file chargesheets in POCSO cases was 175 days, which has come to 41 days.
On the other hand, through Disha SOS App, which lets the users to alert the control room and nearby police by just shaking their mobile phone five times or pressing the SOS button when in danger, the State police has intervened in 900 such cases, including one in Delhi. While reviewing crimes against women and progress of Disha measures, CM Jagan Mohan Reddy congratulated DGP Goutam Sawang and the police department for their exemplary work. While proposing the Disha Bill (Andhra Pradesh Criminal Law (Amendment) Act 2019) in the Legislative Assembly in 2019, the CM said, the bill will ensure stronger punishment and speedy disposal of cases, especially in cases of crimes against women.
The Bill also provides awarding death sentence for heinous offences of rape and gang rape. It also envisages completion of investigation in seven days and trial in 14 working days, where there is adequate conclusive evidence, and reducing the total judgment time to 21 days from the existing four months.
It also prescribes life imprisonment for sexual offences against children and includes Section 354 F and 354 G in IPC. In cases of harassment of women through social media, the accused will be imprisoned for the first conviction and four years for second and subsequent convictions. For this, a new Section 354 E will be added in IPC, 1860.
When contacted by TNIE, DGP Goutam Sawang said the Disha Act ensures stronger punishment and speedy disposal of cases, especially in cases of crimes against women.“Through an internal reviewing mechanism, we are tracking investigation details of each and every case pertaining to crimes against women. We are planning a few more initiatives to reach more people.”