GUWAHATI, March 14 - With poor conviction rate of the cases investigated by the Assam Police becoming a major cause of concern, the Assam Government is contemplating a proposal for appointment of law officers in the specialised investigating agencies of the Assam Police to advise the investigating officers in every step of investigation.
At present, the conviction rate of the cases investigated by the Assam Police is much lower than the national average. The Government has already taken serious note of the issue. The Government proposes to appoint special law officers in the investigating agencies like the Criminal Investigation Department, Bureau of Investigation of Economic Offences (BIEO), Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Wing, Chief Minister�s Vigilance Cell, etc., of the Assam Police.
Talking to The Assam Tribune, Chief Minister�s legal adviser Santanu Bharali said that the specialized investigating agencies have already been authorized to appoint special public prosecutors or take legal advice from experts while dealing with complicated cases and the agencies have started doing it. Citing one such example, he said that while dealing with the cash-for-job scam in the Assam Public Service Commission, the Assam Police is taking legal advice in every step of the investigation process. May be that is why, those arrested in connection with the case have not been able to get bail, he added. He also said that in some cases, the witnesses do not turn up to give evidence in the court, which also either delays the process or make the cases weak.
It may be mentioned here that almost all the branches of the agencies like the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) have legal officers, who provide legal aid to the investigating officers in every step of investigation and that is one of the reasons why the conviction rate of the cases investigated by such agencies is much higher.
The Chief Minister�s legal adviser revealed that the Government has appointed an additional advocate general in the Supreme Court and he is assisted by a team of four lawyers. He said that because of the Government�s strong stand in the Supreme Court, a few accused in the APSC scam failed to obtain bail from the Supreme Court, while, Subodh Biswas, who was accused of creating tension in Silapathar area, also failed to obtain bail. Now the Government may decide to make appeals in the Supreme Court in some cases, which went against it in High Court or lower courts.
