Mumbai: A recent Right to Information (RTI) request has revealed alarming details about the operational inefficiency and severe understaffing within the Crime Against Women (CAW) Cell of the Mumbai Police. Filed by Jeetendra Ghadge of the Young Whistleblowers Foundation, the RTI highlights the cell's apparent role as a mere post office rather than a proactive investigative unit.
The RTI response shows that critical leadership positions in the CAW Cell are vacant. Both the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) and Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) posts remain unfilled. Additionally, only one out of two Police Inspector posts is occupied. The situation is equally dire at other levels, with 8 out of 12 sanctioned posts for Assistant Police Inspectors (API) and Police Sub-Inspectors (PSI) vacant. Furthermore, 37 out of 61 positions for junior officers, including constables, are unoccupied.
The CAW Cell's operational shortcomings are starkly evident in its handling of cases. The unit does not investigate First Information Reports (FIRs) and primarily functions by forwarding complaints to various police stations. From January 2020 to April 2024, Unit 1 of the CAW Cell received 230 complaints. Out of these, 50 cases were closed, 144 were forwarded to police stations, and 4 remain pending.
The desk for family disputes received 1,688 complaints over the same period. Out of these, 273 were successfully settled, 307 were closed, and a staggering 1,077 were forwarded to police stations, with 31 cases still pending.
The cell’s prosecutorial success is also minimal, with only one conviction secured and one case resulting in an acquittal. This dismal track record underscores the cell’s failure to act as an effective deterrent against crimes targeting women in Mumbai.
According to Jeetendra Ghadge of the Young Whistleblowers Foundation, "The CAW Cell's current state is a serious cause for concern. Its inability to investigate FIR cases, coupled with severe understaffing, means it is failing in its mandate to protect women. The cell needs immediate restructuring and reinforcement to function as an effective investigative body."
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Vacant post
DCP - 1
ACP - 1
PI - 1
PSI - 8
Junior officers (including constables) - 37
Unit 1 (Jan. 2020 to Apr. 2024)
Complaints - 230 complaints
Close cases - 50
Forwarded to police stations - 144
Pending - 4
Unit 2 (Jan. 2020 to Apr. 2024)
Complaints - 1,688 complaints
Close cases - 307
Forwarded to police stations - 1,077
Pending - 31
