Less than 10% convictions in 2014-15
SHILLONG: The conviction rate in the State is abysmally low, the Meghalaya police statistics reveal.
Police statistics show that in 2014, the overall conviction rate was 6.3 per cent with 254 convictions in 3,983 cognizable crimes that were reported. The rate increased marginally to 9.5 per cent in 2015 with 420 convictions in 4,406 cognizable crimes registered in the State.
As per the statistics, in 2014, 118 rape cases were registered but there was conviction only in 12 cases, which is 10 percent.
In the same year, the conviction rate was zero in 38 cases of kidnapping and abduction of girls and women. Also, there were 128 cases of molestation and sexual harassment but only one conviction.
In 2015 too, the conviction rate remained low with only eight convictions in 93 reported cases of rape, which is only 8.6 per cent. There was no conviction in any of the 58 cases of kidnapping and abduction of girls and women.
Similarly, there were 95 cases of molestation and sexual harassment in the same year with on three convictions, which is only 3 per cent.
Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, while answering to media questions recently, had said media persons should approach the judiciary if they had to know why the rate of conviction, especially in crime against women and children, in the State was low.
His attitude of shirking responsibility was criticised by the opposition in the State. Former deputy chief minister Bindo Lanong had urged him to ask his advocate general, public prosecutor or government counsels to provide the reasons for low and slow conviction.