Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal has directed Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik to discuss the issue of low conviction rate with Joint Commissioners of Police (JCPs) of all ranges, and prepare a report highlighting corrective steps. Baijal’s direction comes days after Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh expressed concern over the low conviction rate in crimes committed in the capital, and asked the Delhi Police to strengthen its investigation wing.
A senior police officer, who attended the meeting, said that the matter was raised by the L-G at a crime review meeting held in the last week of June, where apart from Patnaik, other senior officers were also present. “Patnaik informed the L-G…that there has been a decline in heinous crimes as compared to last year,” an official said.
However, the L-G expressed concern after he was informed of the conviction and acquittal rate of Delhi Police, which he found to be very low. In a letter sent to all the JCPs of ranges on July 3, DCP (Legal Cell) Rajesh Deo said, “While perusing fortnightly report regarding conviction and acquittal for the period of May 1 to May 15, Hon’ble L-G/Delhi observed that the ‘rate of conviction was very low’. The rate of conviction in Metropolitan Magistrate triable cases was 37% and sessions triable cases was 22%.” Deo informed them that the L-G has sought a report with comments and proposed steps to be taken to increase the conviction rate. “The matter may be examined and the report … may be sent to legal cell at the earliest,” he said.
Sources said the L-G had earlier stressed on the need to properly analyse all criminal cases to increase conviction rate. But Delhi Police is still waiting for a clearance to their proposal requesting for creation of 56 posts of deputy legal advisors and 181 assistant legal advisors to the Home Ministry
