MHA works on death for rapists
The Union ministry of home affairs has decided to formalise a proposal suggesting the “death penalty” for those held guilty in the most brutal cases of rape. Top government sources said the MHA will formalise a fresh proposal for awarding death penalty in rape offences involving “extreme brutality” within the next fortnight.
At present, a bill amending the rape laws suggesting a maximum of life imprisonment for the guilty is pending in Parliament. The new proposal will be put before the task force under Union home secretary R.K. Singh that was set up to undertake a review of the measures needed to curb crimes against women. MHA officials said the “death penalty clause” can be included to increase the severity of punishment for rape cases involving extreme brutality causing death or permanent damage, and where the victim is not known to the accused, putting the crime in the category of “rarest of rare” cases which deserve only capital punishment.
The move comes against the backdrop of the gangrape of a a 23-year-old girl on Sunday night in a moving bus in New Delhi.
Home minister Sushilkumar Shinde, who has decided to personally review the steps taken by the Delhi police to ensure the safety of women in the national capital and bridge the gaps, summoned Delhi police commissioner Neeraj Kumar on Tuesday.
Sources said action can be taken against errant police officers after the MHA called for a report on the police investigation into the South Delhi gangrape. The Delhi police commissioner and the Delhi government have been asked to submit a report to the MHA. Taking suo motu cognisance of Sunday’s incident, the NHRC issued notices to the Union home secretary and the Delhi commissioner asking them to submit their reports within two weeks. “The incident has raised the issue of declining public confidence in the law and order machinery in the city,” it said.
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