Gujarat has registered the lowest performance among the western zonal council (WZC) members as far as completion of investigation in rape cases is concerned.
The state’s compliance rate is only 81.93% in the first four months of the financial year in cases where Pocso Act has been applied.
The WZC comprises Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa and the Union territory of Dadra, Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu.
The numbers were discussed at the western zonal council meeting held in Gandhinagar last week.
While figures provided in the official note of the WZC states that the compliance rate of Gujarat stood at 81.93%, the note added, “The government of Gujarat has intimated on August 26, 2023, that the compliance rate of Gujarat from April 1 to July 31, 2023, is 83.3%.”
The note added that a review committee for Pocso cases headed by additional chief secretary (home) meets regularly to ensure effective compliance and the meeting was convened six times in the ongoing calendar year.
The Dadra and Nagar Haveli region and Goa reported 100% compliance with completing the investigation in two months.
Through an amendment in Section 173 of the CrPC, in sub section 1A, the words “investigation in case of rape of a child may be completed within three months” have been substituted with “an offence under Sections 376, 376A, 376AB, 376B, 376C, 376D, 376DA, 376DB or 376E of the Indian Penal Code shall be completed within two months.” The WZC reviews progress made by states in investigating such cases.
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