Police officers in T.N.’s south zone directed to file final reports, charge-sheets in 65,000 cases pending before court

The Inspector-General of Police, South Zone, Asra Garg, has directed the Superintendents of Police of four districts in Tiruneveli Range to take special efforts to file the final reports in the 65,000-odd cases pending before the courts, to ensure early trials to render justice to the affected.

Inspector-General of Police, South Zone, Asra Garg, has directed the Superintendents of Police of four districts falling under the Tiruneveli Range, to take special efforts to file final reports in the 65,000-odd cases pending before the courts, in order to ensure early trials to render justice to victims.

Mr. Garg held meetings with Deputy Inspector General of Police, Tirunelveli Range, Pravesh Kumar and Superintendents of Police N. Silambarasan of Tirunelveli, L. Balaji Saravanan of Thoothukudi, D.N. Hari Kiran Prasad of Kanniyakumari and E.T. Samson of Tenkasi this week. He said over 65,000 cases were pending before the courts for want of filing of final reports or charge-sheets. Hence, the SPs concerned should take special efforts to file the final reports or charge-sheets as early as possible. Besides rendering justice to the affected, the early judgments would also put an end to the criminal activities of the accused persons, he said.

Besides detaining 169 criminals under the Goondas Act in Tirunelveli Range this year, the police have also obtained bonds from 2,256 anti-social elements, who have given the police an undertaking that they would not indulge in any unlawful activities. “Those who break this undertaking will immediately be detained,” Mr. Garg said, adding that 3,299 non-bailable warrants had been executed this year.

Since a special drive against ganja and its smugglers is going on, 123 cases have been registered in Tirunelveli Range and 270 persons have been arrested in this connection with 59.01 kg of ganja seized between January and April. While 29 of the accused persons were detained under the Goondas Act, the bank accounts of 147 ganja smugglers were frozen, he said.

Since special arrangements have been made to follow the trial of cases filed under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act to ensure the conviction of the accused persons, the victims or family members would be alerted about the progress of these cases or the trials in court. With this method being followed in 285 POCSO cases in the four southern districts, it has instilled confidence in the minds of the victims that early justice would be rendered, Mr. Garg said.

 “As we closely follow the trial of POCSO cases, we alert the victims or their family members in advance whenever the bail petition of the accused persons comes up before the court for hearing. We encourage the victims or their family members to appear before the court to object to the awarding of the bail. Now, this system has been extended to all 560 POCSO cases registered in the southern zone,” he said. Consequently, the accused in 91 POCSO cases have been convicted in the period between January and April this year. While life sentences were awarded in 11 POCSO cases, 20 years’ imprisonment was awarded in 31 cases., he said In Virudhunagar district alone, accused persons in 39 POCSO cases have been convicted. Of these, seven received life sentences and 20 years’ imprisonment was given in 13 cases.

 “Steps have been taken for meticulous investigation of cases pertaining to heinous crimes like murders and murders for gain and closer follow-ups of the criminal trials of these cases in the courts through participative supervision of the Sub-Divisional Officers and the Superintendents of Police. We have already initiated steps in this regard,” Mr. Garg said.