With the conviction rate in criminal cases in Odisha continues to be one of the lowest in the country, the State Government has decided to follow the Vijayawada Model to improve the rate.
Home Secretary Asit Tripathy held a discussion with DGP KB Singh in this regard while reviewing crime and investigation position at the State Secretariat recently. ADG Crime Branch BK Sharma and other senior police officers were present.
It was revealed that over 90,000 cases were registered in 2014 and the number is on the rise with growth of population.
The Government decided to follow Vijayawada Model as the conviction there is highest with 60 per cent of registered cases. A team of officers had visited Vijayawada to study the modalities adopted there, sources said.
The model would be implemented in the twin city of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack on a pilot basis.
As per the strategy, henceforth cops from each police station would be present in courts and coordinate with concerned witnesses, a procedure which is not done in a proper manner in Odisha.
These cops would inform about court proceedings to their respective IICs
so that missing links can be plugged and required action can be taken. Police personnel would accompany witnesses to courts.
Concerned over Odisha’s dismal disposal rate of just 16 per cent of cases, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had asked the Home Secretary to draw up strategies to improve the rate.
Since conviction has a strong correlation with how effectively cases are investigated and strength of material evidence produced, police personnel have to remain more active in post registration period.
To improve the conviction rate, the Government is planning to recruit more Assistant Public Prosecutors (APPs), sources added. For making AAP recruitment process simpler, the concerned authorities are also mulling to change the syllabus.