Implement new criminal laws in state, Shah tells Maha Govt

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has urged the Maharashtra Government to implement new criminal laws across all commissionerates in the state at the earliest. During a review meeting with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday, Shah also emphasised the need for setting up a model prosecution system in line with these new laws.

Senior officers told to monitor cases

• Home Minister Amit Shah reiterated the need for senior police officers to monitor cases involving organised crime, terrorism, and mob lynching to prevent the misuse of legal provisions related to these offences. He also suggested a system for recording evidence through video-conferencing at facilities such as prisons, government hospitals, banks and forensic science laboratories.
• Shah said a system should be implemented where FIRs could be transferred between two states through the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS). He recommended that Maharashtra should adopt CCTNS 2.0.

Shah stressed the importance of strengthening law and order by ensuring timely registration of crimes and quick filing of FIRs. He directed Fadnavis to work towards achieving a conviction rate of more than 90 per cent in cases with sentences longer than seven years.

The meeting, which reviewed the status of implementing various provisions related to police, prisons, courts, prosecution, and forensics, was attended by key officials, including the Union Home Secretary, Maharashtra's Chief Secretary, and the Director General of Police. The Director General of the Bureau of Police Research and Development and the Director General of the National Crime Records Bureau, along with other senior officials from the Union Home Ministry and Maharashtra Government, were also present.

Shah reiterated the need for senior police officers to monitor cases involving organised crime, terrorism, and mob lynching to prevent the misuse of legal provisions related to these offenses. He also suggested a system for recording evidence through video conferencing at facilities such as prisons, government hospitals, banks and forensic science laboratories.

Shah also said that a system should be implemented where FIRs can be transferred between two states through the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS). He recommended that Maharashtra should adopt CCTNS 2.0.

He stated that the police should provide information about individuals held in custody for interrogation on an electronic dashboard.

He emphasised on need to improve internet connectivity in police stations and also said that the availability of forensic science mobile vans should be ensured in every police sub-division.