BARPETA , June 13 � Registration of a case is the right of the complainant. But often it is violated by police. Many times cases are not registered immediately. If an officer-in-charge of a police station is not willing to register a case, the complainant can approach the Superintendent of Police of the district under Section 154 (3) CrPC and the SP, using his powers, can get the case registered. This was informed by the SP Barpeta, Dr GV Sivaprasad.
The SP informed that his office has taken special initiatives to institutionalise this process. They have started a system where complaints regarding refusal to register the case by the OC of the police station or the outpost etc is taken from January 1 this year. After receiving such complaints relevant action is taken and the complainant is intimated through a post card. Assistance is provided to the illiterate people who approach the office with complaints. Most of the complaints received from public pertained to the refusal to register their case lodged with the police.
The message has been spread to the masses gradually and more and more complaints of such nature are pouring in to the office of the Superintendent of Police. As a result registration of the cases in the police station is increasing. The SP made it clear that the increase in the registration of the cases does not mean the increase in the crime rate but the change of intention of the police force. Almost all the cases received in the month of May this year have been registered. Registration of the cases in the PSs has not only bestowed faith of the people on the police but it has reduced the role of the middlemen who often interfered with the disputes in the name of compromise. Since cases are registered police is bound to investigate and submit its findings before the magistrate. Hitherto most of the records pertaining to a number of crimes were not available as they were nipped in the bud in the name of compromise.
The senior IPS Officer also did not rule out the difficulties in the new process as it has increased the workload on the staff starved police force of the district. Moreover, there is every possibility of some cases being malicious, false, or factious. So they don�t take any extreme step like arrest until sufficient evidence is collected against the accused.
�We only want to give an institutional frame work to a legal provision which is existing since 1973. That�s why we insisted on good disposal rate rather than the total pending cases. If total pending cases are taken to assess the performance of police officers, there is every chance of discouraging the registration which is not good for society and system. Nevertheless the total pending cases of the district are brought down to historical low,� the SP said.
�Our efforts for disposal of cases also yielded consistent good results for the last 17 months with an average disposal of 6 cases per investigating officer per month with corresponding improvement in quality by way increased use of scientific and technical aids and continuous training and simplification procedures," he added.
At a time when the police department in the State are accused of neglecting the poor and underprivileged complainants the step undertaken by the Superintendent of Police of the district is undoubtedly a bold one to help the poor.
