Noting that fear of the law and of law enforcement had ceased to exist in the hearts and minds of the Capital’s criminals, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said the Delhi government was working towards stringent steps to deal with perpetrators of heinous crime, especially of a sexual nature committed by minors.
Mr. Kejriwal, who presided over a special session of his Cabinet earlier in the day, said a Group of Ministers (GoM) had been constituted to examine the possibility of trying those accused of heinous crimes such as rape and murder as adults if they were above the age of 15.
“In the last week, three small girl children were raped out of whom I met two and when I met them, my heart sank when I thought about the kind of brutes who did such deeds; all of us need to come together to rectify this,” Mr. Kejriwal announced.
“A GoM consisting of the Law Minister and Home Minister is being constituted under the chairmanship of Law Minister Manish Sisodia which will examine some of the proposals that were discussed in the meeting and, within 15 days, will submit a report to the Cabinet,” the Chief Minister added.
According to Mr. Kejriwal, among the GoM's most significant deliberations would be examining amendments to the existing anti-rape law so that the State could try the perpetrators of heinous crimes aged over 15 -- instead of the current age limit of 18 -- as adults; recommendation of life imprisonment and death penalty for them; and the setting up of a special police force which could be approached by survivors of sexual crime if they ‘felt dissatisfied with the action taken by the local police’.
Pointing out that five fast track courts constituted after the December 16 gang-rape were “choked”, Mr. Kejriwal said the GoM would also look into the possibilities of constituting more such courts; appointing special public prosecutors in all rape cases; and setting up of a Commission of Inquiry within a week for recommending amendments to laws against crimes perpetrated against women and children. “Five fast track courts were made for the trial of rape cases but they are currently clogged. I believe many more such courts need to be constituted. We have the political will to do so...whatever funds and staff required, we are willing to help with all that. We will deliberate with the Chief Justice on the issue,” the Chief Minister said.
Taking a dig at a senior police officer, who had cited the prevalence of crimes of sexual nature across the world in what seemed to be a defence of the Delhi Police force, the Chief Minister said the poor law and order situation in the Capital was to be blamed on lax enforcement.
