Even as his government faced severe criticism for its handling of the Kopardi gang-rape case, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Tuesday that the state would seek capital punishment for the accu
Even as his government faced severe criticism for its handling of the Kopardi gang-rape case, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Tuesday that the state would seek capital punishment for the accused.
“We will demand that the accused be given death sentence so that such a crime is not committed again. The case will be heard in the fast-track court and our request to fight the case has been accepted by senior lawyer Ujjwal Nikam. Only a death sentence will send the right message to society against heinous crimes,” Mr Fadnavis said in the Assembly.
Mr Fadnavis also said Pune police commissioner Rashmi Shukla had been appointed as a special woman officer to investigate the rape case. Ms Shukla would be directed to speak to the victim’s family, he said.
He further said a group of MLAs from both the Houses would be formed to recommend measures to be taken to prevent such brutal crimes in future. However, Opposition Congress-NCP members staged a walk out alleging the government delayed the legal process.
Mr Fadnavis refuted the allegations and said the crime was registered late on the same day and the accused were arrested subsequently.
He even claimed that the conviction rate in rape cases had gone up to 21 per cent in 2015 as compared to eight per cent earlier.
The CM even narrated the measures taken by the home department to curb crimes against women. “The police has developed an app which has a panic button for women’s safety. Also, toll free numbers 103 and 1091 were started for women. Some 27 fast track courts have been set up to deal with crimes against women,” the CM said.
After a few MLAs pointed out that the accused in the Kopardi rape case were under the influence of illicit alcohol, the CM said the government would raise the quantum of punishment for those involved in illicit liquor cases. “We will bring in an ordinance raising punishment to 10 years from the current three years,” he said.
Meanwhile in the Legislative Council, senior Shiv Sena legislator Neelam Gorhe demanded that the accused be castrated. “It is high time they are castrated as a form of punishment and such a provision should be made in the law,” she said.
Senior Congress legislator Narayan Rane said the Kopardi incident had instilled a sense of fear in the minds of women in the state. “Ever since the BJP-led government came to power, 20,000 cases of crimes have been registered against women. There has been 10 per cent rise in crimes against women in the state,” he said.
