Ensure rape case probes are completed in a month: DGP

▪ LUCKNOW : In wake of an ordinance to pave way for providing stringent punishment, including death penalty, for those convicted of raping girls below the age of 12 years, UP DGP OP Singh on Tuesday directed all district police chiefs to ensure that investigations in such cases were completed within a month.

He said the officers were asked to effectively pursue these cases in court after filing of chargesheet and also take help of prosecution officers and government lawyers.

Zonal ADGs and range IGs had also been asked to monitor such cases regularly so that there were no loopholes in the investigations, he said.

“Due to effective pursuance of the state police, the accused got stringent punishments in 25 similar cases in February. These included at least one case each in 13 different districts, two cases each in Agra, Allahabad and Lakhimpur Kheri and three cases each in Lalitpur and Sitapur,” said the DGP.

He said the district police chiefs were also asked to ensure that investigation officers do proper evidence collection and use the best forensic methods available.

The district police chiefs were also directed to complete all procedures

required to provide financial aid to the victims under the government’s Rani Laxmi Bai scheme.

“Under this scheme, the rape survivors are provided ₹3 lakh. If the victim is scheduled caste or scheduled tribe ₹5 lakh is provided while ₹8.25 lakh is given in case of gang-rape survivors,” he said.

He said the police officers were also asked to ensure all possible help for the victim’s family and their safety in case the accused were influential and could harm them. “It should also be ensured that the witnesses in such cases don’t turn hostile under any pressure,” added the DGP.