Mumbai top cop Vivek Phansalkar rolls back Sanjay Pandey's POCSO circular

After strong criticism and demand from various organisations, Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar has withdrawn the controversial circular issued by his predecessor Sanjay Pandey regarding Deputy Commissioner of Police's (DCP) permission and Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) rank officer’s recommendation to register offences under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) and molestation in disputed cases.

A senior home department officer told the Free Press Journal, “Phansalkar, in the wake of strong opposition to his predecessor Sanjay Pande’s order, has withdrawn it. The new police chief is of the view that the crime under POCSO is a serious matter and he, therefore, has given an instruction to file a case immediately.”

He said the POCSO Act was enacted by the Government of India in 2012 to protect children from sexual abuse and to punish perpetrators of such incidents.

It must be mentioned that The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) and Maharashtra State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MSCPCR) had objected to the order issued by Pandey.

Both wrote to the police to immediately withdraw as it violated POCSO Act provisions. Following Pandey’s order, the Mumbai Police had released a circular directing all the police stations in the city to not register offences under POCSO in disputed matters till permission is received from DCP and recommendations from ACP.

The circular issued by Pandey aimed to curb the registration of false cases.

Published on: Wednesday, July 13, 2022, 09:24 AM IST