Crime Branch cracks six cases in 3 yrs: statistics
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, JULY 18
Crime Branch may be in the thick of action handling some high-profile cases including that of Nadia Torrado, but going by records the department cuts a sorry picture.
Statistics show that the Crime Branch has fared very badly in the past three years with only six convictions during this time.
It may be noted the Crime Branch has been continuously under fire from Opposition Leader Manohar Parrikar who has been demanding that the investigations into police-drug dealers nexus be handed over to CBI and some officials of the Crime Branch itself be investigated for their alleged role in sabotaging the case.
Worse still, despite adverse remarks by the High Court in Ashish Shirodkar case – the police inspector who was suspended and arrested for his alleged links with drug-mafia — it does not seem to have made any striking progress in the case.
Statistics reveal that in 2007, there were acquittals in 90 cases and just six convictions. Interestingly, the large number of acquittals related to matka cases. A total 125 cases were detected by the department and chargesheets were filed in all. But the end resulted in 86 acquittals.
Of the 14 forgery cases reported in 2007, it could get conviction in just one case while trial is pending in 8 cases. The remaining five are still under investigation. Also, sleuths are still investigating all seven cheating cases reported in 2007.
The performance of the Crime Branch in 2008 was nothing better. A total 107 cases were reported during this year but there was not a single conviction. Again, acquittals pertain to matka and gambling of which about 32 cases were registered.
In 2009, though it received 56 cases of which it claims to have detected 52, and chargesheets were filed in 32 cases, it failed to get even one conviction.
The statistics for last three years also reveal that Crime Branch has taken undue long time for investigating cases of cheating and all 23 cases reported during last three years are still under investigation.
Bad performance of Crime Branch only strengthens allegations levelled against it by the Opposition leader.
