Rape and molestation cases count surged after legal amendments, says Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis

Replying to a debate on the Home department's budgetary demands, Devendra Fadnavis, who holds the Home portfolio, said 90 per cent of sex assault offenders are known to the victim women

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said rape and molestation cases have gone up in the state, which he attributed to the amended legal provisions post the Nirbhaya case, reported news agency PTI.

He said crime against women has not declined even after laws were amended in 2013 following the Nirbhaya rape case, noting that "molestation cases are also charged as rape cases", reported PTI.

Fadnavis said the state government is working to achieve the target of 75 per cent conviction rate.

Replying to a debate on the Home department's budgetary demands, Fadnavis, who holds the Home portfolio, said 90 per cent of sex assault offenders are known to the victim women.

He said police registered an FIR and filed a charge sheet within 24 hours after a woman was assaulted in Raigad district, reported PTI.

"In the next 24 hours, the court handed the sentence to the accused," he added, reported PTI.

Fadnavis said the state government is working to achieve the target of 75 per cent conviction rate, which improved from 9 per cent in 2013 to 50 per cent in 2024, reported PTI.

"If the police, judiciary, and the prosecution work in coordination, the conviction rate will increase," he said.

He stated measures like harnessing AI capability, strengthening forensic networks, augmenting quick response and new BNS laws will help achieve the 75 per cent conviction rate.

"Maharashtra ranks 8th in the crime graph of the country. Not a single city from Maharashtra figures in the top five. Mumbai ranks at the 15th position, Pune 18th, while Nagpur ranks 7th (in terms of crime) in India," he said, reported PTI.

Fadnavis said police officials conducting panchnamas (crime scene inspections) will be provided with computer tablets to record videos.

"Pnchnamas will be video-graphed. Police will record videos on mobile phones till tablets are made available," the chief minister said, adding that 51 cyber labs are ready in the state, reported PTI.

He said 10,500 posts are lying vacant in the police department. "35,802 vacancies were filled in three years".

(With inputs from PTI)

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