To regularly track, monitor, and ensure speedy investigation in all sexual offences against women and children, with clearly defined SOPs to guide the investigation process, the Punjab Government on Wednesday set up a State-level committee.
The decision was taken on Wednesday at a high-level review meeting chaired by the Chief Secretary Vini Mahajan, who announced that the six-member committee, headed by the Additional Chief Secretary Home, will review the progress of sexual assault cases on a monthly basis.
She also ordered immediate training of 500 medical officers to ensure that there was no delay in the conduct of examination and documentation in sexual assault cases.
The decisions are in line with directives of the Chief Minister to ensure time-bound investigations in cases of crime against women and children, and improve the prosecution rate in such cases.
The meeting also reviewed the status of Punjab State Victim Compensation Scheme and Nirbhaya Fund proposals submitted to the Government to India.
The Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), finalised by the Government, will help concerned officers to fast track investigations and improve conviction rate in sexual assault cases, said Mahajan after the meeting, convened to discuss fast-tracking of investigating and prosecution of such cases.
The Chief Secretary also directed the Police Department to depute Women Police Officers, to be designated as Women Safety Officer, as Person-of-Contact (PoC) with every school and college of the State to check and coordinate on such cases.
She further asked all the Deputy Commissioners (DCs) to issue the dependence certificates in all the cases referred by the District Legal
Services Authority (DLSA), under the Punjab State Victim Compensation Scheme, by July 15.
State Director General of Police (DGP) Dinkar Gupta said the Police Department had fast tracked the investigations in sexual assault cases, and trial of at least 150 cases, registered between January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2020, have been started in the court.
He said out of total 1,526 cases related to sexual assault registered in the last four years, as many as 1,505 (98.5 percent) have been charge sheeted. The investigation in cases registered from January 1, 2021, till now are also being monitored continuously, he added.
Further, said the DGP, Sexual Assault Response Teams constituted in all 28 police districts of the State were working closely with the Women Help Desks in all 382 Police Stations to ensure speedy justice to sexual assault victims.
More than 60,000 women, children and senior citizen have approached these help desks for help through the Punjab Police Mahila Mittars - women officials posted to provide help and assistance.
He said the Punjab Police Academy, Phillaur, will be holding a sensitization training programme of the key district functionaries of Health, Police, and Prosecution Departments for better synergy. The programme is planned to be held in July.