Improve working to curb crimes: HC to police on Dec 16 plea

New Delhi, Sept 12: With all eyes riveted on the court which will decide the fate of the four Dec 16 gangrape convicts, Delhi High Court on Thursday voiced concern over rising crimes in the city despite its instructions in the wake of the 'brutal' incident, and asked the police to pull up its socks.

"Despite several directions of this court earlier while taking suo motu cognisance on the December 16 brutal gangrape case, the incidents are taking place. Implementation of such directions is the real issue and you (police) need to improve the working mechanism," the bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana said.

"Implementation of court order is the real issue...," the bench also comprising Justice Pradeep Nandrajog said and asked Special Public Prosecutor Dayan Krishnan to furnish details about the number of vacant positions in the police force. It asked Delhi police to file an affidavit disclosing the number of vacancies of Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI), Sub-Inspectors and Inspectors including the number of women personnel.

"The affidavit will also disclose allocation of their duties in various police stations," the court said. The court also asked the Centre and Delhi Government to file affidavits disclosing the number of forensic laboratories in the city and the time taken by them in sending report in each case.

Delhi High Court on Thursday voiced concern over rising crimes in the city.

The bench, which had taken suo motu cognisance of the December 16 incident in which 23-year-old paramedical student was gangraped by six persons in a moving bus, fixed October 3 for further hearing.

Out of the six, four persons were convicted by a special fast track court on September 10, for 13 offences including murdering and gangraping the girl. The sentence is likely to be pronounced tomorrow.

Proceedings against main accused Ram Singh were abated after he was found dead in his prison cell in March and the juvenile was sentenced to three years in reformation home by juvenile justice board.

PTI