93% cases disposed of, CAW cell performance par excellence

Tribune News Service

Nikhil Bhardwaj

Ludhiana, December 27

The performance of the crime against women (CAW) cell has turned out to be at par excellence as meticulous investigation and speedy process led to the disposal of over 93 per cent complaints pertaining to domestic violence and matrimonial disputes in the Commissionerate of Police, Ludhiana.

With such disposal rate of complaints, either by registering FIRs, ensuring compromise or renuion of disputed couples, the Commissionerate Police is left with only a few hundred cases pending.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Headquarters) Rupinder Kaur Bhatti, who heads and directly supervises the CAW cell, while sharing the data of the cell, from January 1, 2023, to date, with The Tribune on Wednesday said the cell had received as many as 3,948 complaints in 2023 while 588 were carry forwarded from the previous year. Hence, the total pendency stood at 4,536 complaints.

“Of the 4,536 complaints, it has disposed of 4,235 complaints from January 1, 2023, to date. Hence, the total disposal of complaint rate turns out to be over 93 per cent. Now, we have a pendency of only 301 complaints and investigation is already going at a good pace to dispose of the complaints,” Bhatti said.

The ADCP said 4,235 disposed of complaints pertain to matrimonial dispute, domestic violence and other nature of dispute between the woman and her in-laws, in 1,432 cases, CAW has managed to ensure renuion of disputing couples while in 714 cases, compromise was achieved between couples either by opting mutual divorce or by withdrawing complaints.

In 2015 cases, complaints were false

ADCP Rupinder Kaur Bhatti revealed that of the 4,235 complaints, 2,015 turned out to be false or exaggerated. "During the investigation, we found complaints filed without any evidence of dowry demand, harassment or torture at the hands of husbands or in-laws. Accordingly, the CAW cell had not registered any case against the husbands or in-laws. In fact, the complaints were filed and investigation was closed. Even warning was issued to the complainants to avoid filing fake plaints, else legal action can be taken against them. However, filing fake dowry complaint is an old trend," she said.

Meticulous probe led to successful disposal rate

The ADCP revealed that the reason of the ‘never seen’ disposal rate was the improved investigation standards, speedy and frequent counselling of disputed parties, usually four sittings in a month, while the second month is being primarily devoted to decide whether complaints must lead to the renuion of the disputed couple, compromise by achieving mutual divorce or FIR needs to be registered. “Earlier, the CAW cell used to linger on counselling for several months that increased pendency of complaints but now, we have clear instructions to dispose of complaints within two or maximum three months. I too personally hear disputing couples to ensure action or solution in minimum possible time,” asserts Bhatti.

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