Conviction rate: The graph keeps rising in Assam
Timely submission of charge sheets has led to an increase in the conviction rate in Assam for the past three years.
STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: Timely submission of charge sheets has led to an increase in the conviction rate in Assam for the past three years. The conviction rate in the state was 5.6 percent in 2021, and it rose to 16.4 percent until November this year.
According to official sources, the courts convicted 625 accused of different crimes in the state in 2021, and the figure jumped to 4,562 in 2022. The number of convicts this year until November is 4,302.
According to sources, thousands of cases were lying in police stations in the state without proper investigation, leading to the non-submission of charge sheets for years together in the past. One of the prime reasons behind such a plight in the state was a lack of investigation officers.
The situation has, however, improved a lot with the appointment of an adequate number of investigation officers who have started investigating old pending cases in addition to the fresh ones.
According to sources, the conviction rate depends on a number of factors, including the strength of the evidence available, the complexity of the cases, misidentification by eyewitnesses, a lack of concrete physical evidence, and a lack of coordination between investigators and prosecutors.
According to sources, the use of scientific techniques is a must for establishing the commission of a crime by an accused in a court of law. “It is more important that the officers of forensic science reach the crime scene first, mostly in cases that are punishable for six years or more,” a retired police officer said, adding, “This approach was totally absent in the past in Assam. However, now this practice is gaining ground. The investigators now rely more on scientific evidence than on eyewitnesses. With this in view, the government has set up forensic science laboratories at several places in the state.”
A senior lawyer said, “The legal side should get more importance from investigation to submission of charge sheets so as not to leave any loophole in the charge sheet. There are ample examples of accused going scot-free due to loopholes in charge sheets. The Chief Minister placing more importance on increasing the conviction rate in the state is a good sign. The increase in the conviction rate now speaks volumes about the direct effects of the steps taken by the chief minister.”
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