<p>A total of 52,343 people have been convicted in the state between January 2006 and August 2010 - higher than in any comparable period in decades, Bihar police chief Neelmani told IANS.<br /><br />According to police records, all were convicted by fast track courts across the state. Of those convicted, 129 were sentenced to death while 9,098 got life terms.<br /><br />Neelmani said the state has made a record number of convictions. In the past, the conviction rate in Bihar was very low. Only about 5,000-10,000 criminals would be convicted in a decade.<br /><br />The recent convictions were made possible with speedy trials conducted in almost all pending criminal cases by different courts, including fast track courts.<br /><br />Neelmani said the high rate of convictions has led to a decline in the crime rate and has been made possible by fast track courts that were set up in January 2006.<br /><br />When Nitish Kumar of the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) became chief minister Nov 24, 2005, he promised to make the state crime-free within three months. He later admitted it was not possible but set up the special courts to quickly dispense justice.<br /><br />Additional Director General of Police P.K. Thakur said the conviction of criminals in such a short span of time is a big achievement and a model for others to follow.<br /><br />He said the speedy trial of criminals initiated by the state government has been lauded by people in the state as well as outside.<br /><br />Police officials here claim that Bihar has surpassed other states in awarding the death sentence to the maximum number of people in 55 months.<br /><br />Conveying this message during the "Vishvas Yatra" that concluded a few months ago, Nitish Kumar told the people that criminals now fear disturbing law and order because of his "political determination to prosecute them through speedy trials".<br /><br />He said a high rate of convictions through speedy trials has instilled a sense of fear in the minds of criminals and anti-social elements.<br /><br />For the first time in the state, over a dozen MPs and legislators have been convicted and punished. Also, there has been a sharp decline in the number of abductions and other crimes, including murder, robbery, bank dacoity and road holdups.<br /><br />In the first week of June this year, former Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) legislator Pappu Khan was sentenced to life imprisonment in a murder case.<br /><br />Other well-known convicts include former RJD MPs Pappu Yadav and Mohammad Shahabuddin, former Lok Janshakti Party MP Surajbhan Singh, former Janata Dal-United (JD-U) MP Anand Mohan, his wife Lovely Anand and JD-U legislators Narendra Kumar alias Sunil Pandey and Munna Shukla.<br /><br />Pappu Yadav was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Ajit Sarkar.<br /><br />Shahabuddin, who is lodged in Siwan jail, was convicted in seven criminal cases, with a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.<br /><br />Sunil Pandey was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for the kidnapping of a noted neuro-surgeon in Patna, while Munna Shukla was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of G. Krishnaiah, the then district magistrate of Gopalganj in 1994.<br />Anand Mohan was sentenced to death for the same murder.<br /><br />However, the many convictions have added to the overcrowding in Bihar jails where, for the first time, convicts outnumber undertrials.<br /><br />There are nearly 40,000 prisoners lodged in 54 jails, which together are supposed to hold a maximum of 20,000 prisoners.<br /></p>
<p>A total of 52,343 people have been convicted in the state between January 2006 and August 2010 - higher than in any comparable period in decades, Bihar police chief Neelmani told IANS.<br /><br />According to police records, all were convicted by fast track courts across the state. Of those convicted, 129 were sentenced to death while 9,098 got life terms.<br /><br />Neelmani said the state has made a record number of convictions. In the past, the conviction rate in Bihar was very low. Only about 5,000-10,000 criminals would be convicted in a decade.<br /><br />The recent convictions were made possible with speedy trials conducted in almost all pending criminal cases by different courts, including fast track courts.<br /><br />Neelmani said the high rate of convictions has led to a decline in the crime rate and has been made possible by fast track courts that were set up in January 2006.<br /><br />When Nitish Kumar of the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) became chief minister Nov 24, 2005, he promised to make the state crime-free within three months. He later admitted it was not possible but set up the special courts to quickly dispense justice.<br /><br />Additional Director General of Police P.K. Thakur said the conviction of criminals in such a short span of time is a big achievement and a model for others to follow.<br /><br />He said the speedy trial of criminals initiated by the state government has been lauded by people in the state as well as outside.<br /><br />Police officials here claim that Bihar has surpassed other states in awarding the death sentence to the maximum number of people in 55 months.<br /><br />Conveying this message during the "Vishvas Yatra" that concluded a few months ago, Nitish Kumar told the people that criminals now fear disturbing law and order because of his "political determination to prosecute them through speedy trials".<br /><br />He said a high rate of convictions through speedy trials has instilled a sense of fear in the minds of criminals and anti-social elements.<br /><br />For the first time in the state, over a dozen MPs and legislators have been convicted and punished. Also, there has been a sharp decline in the number of abductions and other crimes, including murder, robbery, bank dacoity and road holdups.<br /><br />In the first week of June this year, former Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) legislator Pappu Khan was sentenced to life imprisonment in a murder case.<br /><br />Other well-known convicts include former RJD MPs Pappu Yadav and Mohammad Shahabuddin, former Lok Janshakti Party MP Surajbhan Singh, former Janata Dal-United (JD-U) MP Anand Mohan, his wife Lovely Anand and JD-U legislators Narendra Kumar alias Sunil Pandey and Munna Shukla.<br /><br />Pappu Yadav was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Ajit Sarkar.<br /><br />Shahabuddin, who is lodged in Siwan jail, was convicted in seven criminal cases, with a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.<br /><br />Sunil Pandey was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for the kidnapping of a noted neuro-surgeon in Patna, while Munna Shukla was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of G. Krishnaiah, the then district magistrate of Gopalganj in 1994.<br />Anand Mohan was sentenced to death for the same murder.<br /><br />However, the many convictions have added to the overcrowding in Bihar jails where, for the first time, convicts outnumber undertrials.<br /><br />There are nearly 40,000 prisoners lodged in 54 jails, which together are supposed to hold a maximum of 20,000 prisoners.<br /></p>