Maharashtra to make molestation and rape cases non-bailable

The state government is likely to amend the law to make crimes such as rape and molestation non-bailable, instead of waiting for the Centre to amend it. It also proposes to double jail term for such crimes, from the current seven to 14 years, reports Sayli Udas Mankikar.

The state government is likely to amend the law to make crimes such as rape and molestation non-bailable, instead of waiting for the Centre to amend it. It also proposes to double jail term for such crimes, from the current seven to 14 years.

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At the Justice CS Dharmadhikari committee meeting in Mantralaya on Wednesday, home minister RR Patil reportedly asked the law department to initiate the proposal and to not wait for Parliament.

Apart from Patil and Dhar-madhikari, principal secretary (home) Medha Gadgil, MP Supriya Sule, legislator Neelam Gorhe and former IAS officer Chandra Iyengar attended the meeting.

The committee was set up in October 2010 to examine, among other things, the need to amend the law on molestation. In 2011, the state home department had sent a proposal to the Centre to make such cases non-bailable offences.

Things got moving after the Bombay HC recently pulled up the state and asked why it did not make the amendment on its own.

A member said now either the law or the home department would move the proposal to amend the law, which will then be sent to the Assembly and then to the President for assent.