Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah.
Credit: DH Photo
Taking a serious note of the low conviction rate of just 3.44 per cent under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday warned that action would be taken against the superintendents of police (SPs) and deputy commissioners (DCs) if the investigation is delayed.
At the state-level vigilance and monitoring committee meeting held here, Siddaramaiah remarked, “Though the state police are considered the Number 1 force in the country, why is the conviction rate so low? We rank 21st in the country in terms of conviction. As the conviction rate is low, the number of accused who go unpunished is also high.”
“As per data made available to me, the state’s conviction rate in atrocities stands at 3.44 per cent. Does this mean that the police department is negligent regarding the SC/ST atrocities cases in the last five years?” he questioned.
Cautioning that the state government would not tolerate such an approach anymore, the chief minister directed the DG&IGP Alok Mohan to take action against the investigators of the cases.
He also gave a stern warning to SPs and DCPs that they would be made directly responsible for the low conviction rate.
Siddaramaiah also questioned the officials as to why no charge sheet has been registered against the accused in caste atrocity cases even after 120 days as this delay is resulting in accused securing bail easily in such serious cases.
The chief minister said that it is a general norm that if a charge sheet is not filed under the Code of Criminal Procedure (CRPC) within 90 days, the accused immediately qualifies to secure bail. Under the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, the charge sheet must be filed within 60 days. But why are the government officials failing in their duties, he asked.
“If the accused gets bail easily then who will be scared of the law?” he wondered.
Pointing out to the data presented to him, he stated that of the 10,893 cases registered in the last five years between (2018 January to 2023 June) the police have failed to file the charge sheet in about 1,100 cases even after 120 days of registering a complaint. It is a clear violation of stipulated norms set by the Atrocity Act.
“This also shows the indifference of the officers towards SCs and STs. How can the victims get justice? I cannot tolerate such a lackadaisical approach in handling such serious cases,” he cautioned.