DNA TV Show: Row over fat-containing laddus in Tirupati Temple
Kolkata rape-murder case: Junior doctors to end protest, resume emergency services from...
Salman Khan's security breached, case registered against biker following actor's car
Sarfaraz Ahmed trolls Babar Azam in Champions One-Day Cup, star batter responds with century
After reducing debt, Anil Ambani's company now approves Rs 3014 crore...
Legends League Cricket 2024: Full schedule, squads, live streaming - All you need to know
India reacts to report on diversion of Indian defence exports to Ukraine, says, ‘it is…’
Tata Group-owned app to deliver iPhone 16 models in 10 minutes, service starts from…
Amitabh Bachchan apologises for this reason in viral video: 'Galat ho gaya tha...'
New COVID-19’s XEC 'contagious' variant spreads across 27 countries, here's what you need to know
Verantes Living Awarded as India’s No.1 Stainless Steel Modular Kitchen Brand
Narayana Murthy’s Infosys set to invest Rs 170000000 in this startup
Discover Stainless France, the Leading Supplier of Cobalt Chrome
India dismisses Khalistani terrorist Pannun's US lawsuit over assassination attempt, calls it…
IND vs BAN, 1st Test: R Ashwin joins Ravindra Jadeja in elite club, becomes second cricketer to....
More trouble for ex-RG Kar principal Sandip Ghosh, Bengal medical body now...
Tirupati Laddu row: Lab report confirms prasada contains beef fat, fish oil
Meet IPS officer who has resigned after serving for 18 yrs due to...
ITR filing: Haven’t received your income tax refund yet? Here’s what you should do
FATF says India faces severe 'terrorist financing threats' from...
WATCH: IAS officer poses as customer at liquor shop, imposes Rs 50000 fine for....
Meet Indian man, who got hired whopping Rs 12000000 crore salary job, not from IIT, IIM he is...
Meet ‘delivery boy’ who beats Mukesh Ambani in world’s billionaire list, his net worth is…
Suriya, Bobby Deol-starrer Kanguva gets new release date, averts clash with Rajinikanth's Vettaiyan
This Bajaj Group company's shares rose by Rs 1687 in just 5 days after...
5 super expensive assets Mukesh Ambani owns: Rs 15000 crore home, Rs 600 crore jet, MI worth...
IND vs BAN, 1st Test: Shubman Gill joins Virat Kohli in unwanted list after poor outing on Day 1
“I'm gonna cut…”: Know what Andrew Flintoff said to Yuvraj Singh before his 6 sixes feat
Kareena Kapoor revives vintage glam in 25-year-old Banarasi saree makeover
Atishi’s Delhi cabinet: AAP leader to retain four minsters; new face to be included
Centre investigates 26-year-old EY employee's death amid massive outrage
NASA's James Webb unveils black hole starving its host galaxy; see pic
'They will also finish....': Akhilesh Yadav slams BJP over 'one nation, one election'
Housing society issues notice over too many deliveries asks to hire personal watchman
ICC releases venues for women's T20 world cup, check list here
J-K Assembly Election 2024: 'Abdullahs, Muftis, Gandhis have given...,' says PM Modi in Srinagar
Meet woman who left medical career for UPSC exam , became IPS with AIR 165 then left job due to...
Meet Indian billionaire with Rs 32615 crore net worth who wants you to save Rs 600 daily because...
IAS Puja Khedkar case latest update: Delhi HC issues...; Know details here
Haryana Assembly Election 2024: BJP releases election manifesto, guarantees...
Amid Ind vs Ban, why is 'boycottBangladeshCricket' trending on social media? Know here
'Usko dekh...': Rishabh Pant during war of words with Liton Das during Ind vs Ban test
This is world's costliest rice, price of 1 kg will leave you shocked, it is grown in...
Could your phone be the next bomb? The scary truth about remote explosions
Watch video: Rohit Sharma's reaction after Virat Kohli's dismissal in Ind vs Ban test match
Bihar: 15 people held for torching 21 houses in Nawada, government says more arrests likely
Atishi, along with new cabinet, to take oath as Delhi CM on..., know details here
Ed raids ex-IAS, Noida Authority CEO's house, Rs 1 crore cash, Rs 19 crore jewellery recovered
Hezbollah walkie-talkie blast kills 20 in Lebanon; Israel declares 'start of new phase in war'
NASA Alert: Giant asteroid Apophis, as big as a skyscraper, will approach Earth on...
Himesh Reshammiya's father, music director Vipin Reshammiya, passes away at 87
This is now India's biggest alcohol firm, has surpassed Johnnie Walker maker Diageo by Rs...
Big win for ISRO: Centre approves Chandrayaan-4, Venus mission and a space station; allocates Rs...
INDIA
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reiterating her request for stringent central legislation and exemplary punishment on heinous crimes like rape and murder.
TRENDING NOW
Union Minister Annapurna Devi on Friday asserted that existing laws were stringent enough to tackle violence and crimes against women and urged the West Bengal government to implement the same in "letter and spirit".
In a letter to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the second in a week, Devi, the Union Minister for Women and Child Development, said the state government has not operationalised additional 11 Fast Track Special Courts (FTSC) to specifically deal with cases of rape and POCSO cases.
Devi said West Bengal has established 88 Fast Track Courts (FTCs), which are not the same as the Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) covered under the Central Government Scheme.
Banerjee on Friday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reiterating her request for stringent central legislation and exemplary punishment on heinous crimes like rape and murder.
Banerjee, who wrote to Modi a few days ago on the issue following nationwide uproar over the rape and murder of a doctor at the R G Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9, sought mandatory provision for time-bound disposal of cases of rape/rape and murder.
"In spite of the pendency of 48,600 rape and POCSO cases in West Bengal, the State has not operationalised additional 11 FTSCs which may be exclusive POCSO courts or combined FTSCs dealing with both rape and POCSO cases, as per the state's requirement," the Union Minister said in the letter to Banerjee.
"As may be seen, the information contained in your letter in this regard is factually incorrect and appears to be a step in the direction to cover up the delays in operationalising the FTSCs by the state," Devi said.
Concerning Banerjee's observation on the need to post permanent judicial officers in FTSCs, the Union minister said the scheme guidelines clearly provide for one judicial officer and seven staff to work exclusively for the disposal of rape and POCSO Act cases.
"Hence, an additional charge of FTSCs cannot be given to any permanent judicial officer or court staff. This position was clarified earlier to the West Bengal," Devi said.
She said in the event of an insufficient workforce, states and Union Territories have the option to engage judicial officers and court staff on a contractual basis under the FTSC scheme.
"As regards, stringent legislations and exemplary punishment on heinous crimes like rape/rape and murder, I reiterate my earlier communication conveying that stringent punishments for rape/rape with murder already exist in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS)," the minister said.
Devi said the enactments by the central government are comprehensive and stringent enough to tackle the violence and crimes against women.
"If the state government follows the central legislations in letter and spirit, it will certainly have a lasting impact on strengthening the criminal justice system, bringing the perpetrators of such crimes to face the consequences commensurate with the offence and also in ensuring justice to the victims or survivors," the union minister said.
"I once again request you to ensure due sensitisation and positive approach of all duty holders at appropriate levels to ensure proper handling of cases with due care and attention to bring finality as per the timelines prescribed under the statutes," Devi said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DNA staff and is published from PTI)