Bhopal: In a significant decision, the state government has empowered the police station in-charge to investigate the cases of atrocities committed against the members of Schedule Tribe and Schedule Caste. A letter to this effect has been issued to all district superintendents.
Madhya Pradesh will be second state after Bihar where the TI rank officer will have power to investigate cases filed under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Earlier, only CSP, SDOP and DSP rank officers were eligible to conduct the investigations in cases under the act.
AIG Amritlal Mena informed that the on October 13, the state government had issued a notification regarding the amendment in the SC/ST atrocity act of 1989. The TIs have been empowered to conduct probe in cases under the sections, which entails imprisonment term is less than 10 years. This includes the cases related to kidnapping, obscene acts and songs, grievous hurt, wrongful restraint, demanding sexual favour and others.
The other sections in which the jail term is more than 10 years will be investigated by CSP, SDOP or DSP rank officers, the IPC sections related to rape, murder, attempt to murder will be investigate by these officers. The decision has been taken following the shortage of the higher rank officers in the police department and since TI rank officers are in sufficient number, the government has amended the act. With every passing year, the cases of atrocities against the members of SC/ST are going up However, owing to shortage of the competent police officials probe into such cases were being delayed and the aggrieved were not getting justice in time. Now, the decision will speed up the investigation in the cases. The department will have to submit the charge sheet in court within 60 day of the filing of the report.
