E-Paper
HP Police introduce management system for speedy trial in murder cases
Himachal Pradesh director general of police (DGP) Sanjay Kundu said the system was launched earlier this month, as per which, the pendency of murder cases is reviewed by the DGP personally on weekly basis during Monday meetings
In the wake of large pendency of murder cases in courts, Himachal Pradesh Police have introduced a robust trial management system.
Himachal Pradesh director general of police (DGP) Sanjay Kundu said the system was launched earlier this month, as per which, the pendency of murder cases is reviewed by the DGP personally on weekly basis during Monday meetings.
Under the system, the police will also ensure timely testimony of witnesses in the murder cases in the courts.
During the Monday meetings, it would also be reviewed that how many police personnel and private persons, who are witnesses in murder cases, are appearing in the courts for testimony, said Kundu.
The DGP said that crime rate analysis done by the police reveals that 974 murder cases have been registered in Himachal Pradesh in last 10 years.
On an average, nearly 98 murder cases are registered every year. After completing the investigation, the chargesheet of these cases were presented by the police in respective courts for trial within a period of 90 days.
Presently, 457 murder cases are pending in various courts of the state.
Out of these cases, 269 (59%) are pending for more than two years and 100 cases (22%) for more than one year, whereas the remaining 88 cases (20%) are pending in the courts for less than one year.
The court process has not started in 21 cases while 59 cases are at the stage for consideration of charges.
As many as 291 cases have reached the stage of examination of prosecution witness, 30 cases are at examination of defence witnesses stage, 34 at argument stage and in 22 cases, examination of accused has to be done.
Kundu said the trial management system in murder cases is expected to yield good results in the future as it would help the courts in delivering speedy verdicts in pending murder cases.
Earlier, Himachal DGP had launched a similar system for cases registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in March 2021 and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and rape charges in July 2022.
