The conviction rate in crimes in Odisha is low compared to other States
even as criminal cases are soaring in the State, for which the police administration is reportedly worried.
While the Government is setting up new courts every year for speedy trials, cases are still pending and convicts and accused are found to be acquitted in 90 per cent of the cases.
According to State Government data card, as many as 8.59,581 lakh criminal cases are pending in lower courts and 36,087 are pending in the High Court.
Out of the total pending cases, 15,468 criminal cases, 3.55,445 lakh are pending for five years.
A total of 90,184 criminal cases were filed in 2013, an increase of 7.4 per cent against 2012. However, the conviction rate was only 5.9 per cent in that year. Similarly, the percentage was disappointing in the year 2014 when 93,657 cases were registered.
According to the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) report 2014, the conviction rate was 10.3 per cent in the cases filed under several sections
of IPC.
Notably, the conviction rate is more than 40 per cent at the national level. While the conviction rate is more than 80 per cent in the States like Nagaland, Mizoram, Pudducherry, the percentage is higher than 70 in Uttarakhand. In the States like Andaman Nicobar, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and Kerala, the conviction percentage in the criminal cases is between 50 and 70. But the percentage is pretty low in Odisha.
The NCRB report says that around 28,913 criminal cases were heard in 2013 out of which the sentences were pronounced in 2983 cases and the accused were acquitted in 25,930 cases.
While the courts acquitted the accused in 72 per cent of murder cases, the criminals were set free in 84% in rape cases, 82% in women kidnapping, 90% in dacoity, 86% in irregularities of necessary products, 89% in dowry harassment, 97% in excise
and 87% in dowry-related murder cases.
Several accused are getting acquitted due to faulty systems. Many reasons are encouraging youths to get involved in committing new crimes