State home department claims 139% rise in conviction rate in two years

From giving incentives to the law and investigation officers, the government has introduced punishment for the officers with poor conviction rate

The state home department claimed the rise in the conviction rate to 33.92% between November 2014 to June 2016 from 14.16% between March 2013 and October 2014. The rise is 139.55% over the last two years, the government said.

If the conviction rate in the crimes managed by the central and state laws are considered, then the conviction rate is 52%, claimed chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. “The rate is calculated in two ways, with the crime cases booked under the Central laws and overall conviction rate including for the cases under State laws. The National Crime Records Bureau computes the conviction rate for the Central Acts and it is 33.92% in Maharashtra. It is a big jump in two years, as it was much low during previous rule,” Fadnavis told HT.

Governor C Vidyasagar Rao, while addressing both the houses of legislature in March, had said that the rate had improved to 52% from 36% in 2016. He had said that the higher conviction rate will prove deterrent for criminals to indulge into unlawful activities.

The BJP-led government introduced a special initiative immediately after coming to the power in October 2014. From giving incentives to the law and investigation officers, the government also introduced punishment for the officers with poor conviction rate. The state recently launched cyber laboratories in all the districts and commissionerates to ensure speedy investigation of the cases.