New Delhi, Jan 30 (IANS) Suggesting at least two forensic evidence mobile vans in every district, Union Home Minister Amit Shah reviewed the implementation of the three new criminal laws in Gujarat at a meeting with Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel in New Delhi on Thursday.
The meeting reviewed the implementation and present status of various new provisions relating to police, jail, courts, prosecution and forensics in Gujarat.
HM Shah said that the Gujarat government should ensure the implementation of the new criminal laws in all commissionerates by April 30 and across the entire state at the earliest.
He said it should be reviewed monthly by the Chief Minister, fortnightly by the State Home Minister and weekly at the level of Chief Secretary, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) and Director General of Police.
The Home Minister stated that Gujarat has commendably achieved timely filing of charge sheets in over 92 per cent of cases involving sentences of more than 10 years.
He emphasised that for the remaining cases, a review should be conducted to ensure the utilisation of the provision in the Act that allows seeking permission from the court.
HM Shah said that Gujarat has done a commendable job in converting Zero FIRs into 100 per cent regular FIRs.
He emphasised the need to establish a system where FIRs can be transferred between two states through the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS). He also suggested that Gujarat should adopt CCTNS 2.0.
Regarding the provision of electronic evidence in the new laws, the Home Minister mentioned that the state’s Home and Health Departments should hold meetings to ensure that post-mortem and other medical reports from hospitals are received electronically.
HM Shah also emphasised the need to establish a system for recording evidence via video conferencing in prisons, government hospitals, banks, forensic science laboratories (FSL), and other premises. He said that there should be a video conferencing cubicle for every court in the prisons.
The meeting was attended by Gujarat’s Minister of State for Home, the Union Home Secretary, Gujarat’s Chief Secretary and Director General of Police, the Director General of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), and several senior officials from the Union Home Ministry and the State Government.
–IANS
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