Haryana Steps Up Efforts for Swift Justice and Higher Conviction Rates in Heinous Crimes

Haryana Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department, Dr. Sumita Misra, has called on police and prosecution officers to intensify efforts to raise the conviction rate in heinous crimes, including sexual assault, gang rape, murder, and drug trafficking.

While chairing the 25th State Level Committee meeting under the ‘Chinhit Apradh’ initiative, Dr. Misra highlighted the need to surpass the current 61.5% conviction rate. During the meeting, it was apprised that the state has recently taken up 117 new cases under this initiative for the month of February and March 2025 and is actively monitoring 1,683 ongoing cases.

She emphasized that swift, evidence-backed investigations and timely forensic reports are crucial for securing convictions. “Every effort must be made to bring justice to victims swiftly. Delay or negligence in investigation or trial weakens public trust in the system,” Dr. Misra stated.

She directed district police officers and prosecutors to work closely together, suggesting the appointment of special prosecutors in select cases for stronger court representation. Dr. Misra also urged regular monitoring of serious cases and warned that accountability would be fixed for any lapses.

She instructed officers to create a district-wise list of serious crime cases pending for over six months, emphasizing that these cases must be revived on a priority basis with proper legal strategy and administrative monitoring. Dr. Misra also called for equipping prosecution teams with digital tools and training so that electronic and forensic evidence can be presented effectively in court.

Additionally, she directed that Haryana’s newly adopted witness protection policy be enforced rigorously to provide safety and confidence to witnesses, especially in sensitive cases.Dr. Misra said that District Level Committees (DLCs) must ensure compliance with Section 309 of the Cr.P.C. (now Section 346 of the BNSS), so that ‘Chinhit Apradh’ cases are heard in court at the earliest.

She also stressed the need to fix block dates for trials, which will help prevent the defense from seeking unnecessary adjournments. To strengthen investigations, the State Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) is speeding up DNA and forensic reports, particularly for sensitive cases.

Some districts have shown outstanding results i.e Faridabad, Karnal, Dabwali, and Fatehabad all achieved a 100% conviction rate. Kurukshetra, Sirsa, and Rewari also performed well, with conviction rates of 75%, 78.57%, and 85% respectively. Dr. Misra said that the ‘Chinhit Apradh’ initiative stands for safety, fairness, and quick justice for everyone in Haryana.

The meeting was attended by ADGP/State Crime Branch, Smt. Mamta Singh through video conferencing. IGP/CID, Sh. Maneesh Chaudhary, DIG/State Crime Branch, Sh. Hamit Akhtar along with other senior officers were present in person.