Technology must be upgraded to reduce burden on police: Judge

The First Additional District and Sessions Judge G Basavaraj has said that the procedure of submitting First Information Report (FIR) to courts by the police should be upgraded to save time.

Technology should be put to use and FIRs should be sent through e-mail to save time and reduce the burden on police personnel, he suggested.

Basavaraj was addressing police officers during the inauguration of a seminar ‘Strengthening of Criminal Justice System’, jointly organised by Department of Prosecution and Police Department (Southern Range) at Karnataka Police Academy (KPA) here. The Judge said that as there is a delay in submitting FIR to the courts by the police, criminals are able to escape by destroying evidence and influencing witnesses. Sending FIRs through e-mail would save time as well as reduce the burden on the police personnel, he said.

‘Speed up investigation’

“A delay in taking up cases should be minimised as it is the victim who is adversely affected. In many cases the investigation begins after several days and the courts may even drop the case without taking it up for trial. Even lawyers ask for more time,” he said.

Basavaraj said that Investigation Officers (IOs) are like pre-trial judges as they have special powers to decide whether to file charge sheet or ‘B’ report after analysing the witnesses and other aspects of cases. In recent days, the power of investigation has also been given to Assistant Sub-Inspectors and Head Constables but many of them are not aware about special Acts apart from Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). As the nature of crimes has been changing, even PCs and ASIs need to be educated on legal aspects, he stressed.

City Police Commissioner Dr A S Rao said that the number of people punished for violation of traffic norms is very less.

In Mysuru Commissionerate, only 6-8% people are being punished and increasing the punishment level is a challenge before the police. Besides strengthening the criminal justice system, it is necessary to concentrate more on maintaining law and order, preventing organised crimes and management of traffic, the Commissioner said.

Law Officer P B Dharennanavar, Kodagu Superintendent of Police Rajendra Prasad, Mysuru SP Ravi D Channannavar and others were present.