Online capacity building programme held
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, February 19 2022: An Online Capacity Building Programme cum Interaction Programme was organised by District Legal Services Authority, Tamenglong on the topic 'Investigation of cases registered under POCSO Act and other crimes against women' in collaboration with District Legal Services Authority, Imphal West and Chandel on Saturday.

The programme sponsored by Manipur State Legal Services Authority under the aegis of National Legal Services Authority was attended by all the investigating officers (IOs) including women IOs under the jurisdiction of Tamenglong, Noney, Imphal West, Chandel and Tengnoupal districts.

Welcome address and vote of thanks were delivered by Imphal West DLSA secretary in-charge Md Arshad Saeed Shah and Chandel DLSA secretary Lamkholal Kipgen, respectively.

According to a release, Tamenglong DLSA secretary Dr Laishram Rina Devi said that the programme was organised to re-sensitise all the IOs under the jurisdiction of the five districts to make investigating agency an effective and efficient instrument for all criminal cases; make investigation speedy and just; bring faithful and fruitful result of the investigation; provide the right of the accused to have fair investigation; ensure transparency in the criminal justice system and special precautions as mandated by relevant provisions of law while investigating cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (POCSO Act) and other crimes against women.

It also informed that Imphal West District & Sessions Judge Aribam Guneshwar Sharma spoke on salient features of POCSO Act including offences under the Act namely Sexual Harassment (not touching body), Sexual Assault (touching body), Penetrative Sexual Assault, others - such as Pornography, Non-Reporting & False Complaint; Reporting of cases; Duties of Police; Recording of Statements, compensation, etc.

The object of the Act is to protect children from sexual assault, harassment & pornography.

POCSO Act deals with victim of sexual assault below 18 years of age and the victims are of gender neutral, he said and explained the process while recording statement of child under the Act.

Statement of the victim is to be recorded at the residence of the child or at a place where he/she usually resides or at the place of his/her choice and as far as practicable by a woman police officer not below the rank of sub-inspector.

Police officer shall not be in uniform while recording the statement and shall ensure that child does not come in the contact with the accused in any way in the examination during investigation.

No child shall be detained at the Police station in the night for any reason.

Those children in conflict with law who are alleged to have committed offences under the POCSO Act or other laws shall be dealt under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 which has been enacted only for two types of child viz., Child in Conflict with Law and Child in Need of Care and Protection.

The victim girls as Children in Need of Care and Protection are to be produced before Child Welfare Committee of the district concerned for their rehabilitation, he added.

Guneshwar also advised all the IOs not to register cases under the POCSO Act at the option of parents or guardian of the victim without considering material facts and circumstances of the case.

Imphal West Addl SP.(IUCAW) Rattana Ngasepam, who also attended as resource person, spoke on SOP/ Guidelines on investigation of crime against women and children.

She also elaborated on the importance of zero FIR, medical examination of victim, creating friendly environment, spot investigation, maintaining dignity of the women victim, rehabilitation of victim in collaboration with Women help-line, shelter home etc., giving counselling to both the victim as well as their family members, importance of case diary and forensic expert based on facts and circumstances of the case etc., and appealed all IOs to update their knowledge for prompt and effective investigation of such cases.

Comment