Agartala, March 24, 2025: Tripura Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha announced that all eight districts of the state would have a Deputy Director Prosecution Cell, with 70 posts created for the initiative. Responding to a query from Congress MLA Gopal Chandra Roy, the CM provided insights into the government’s strategy for strengthening prosecution in criminal cases.
“According to the 2024 data, the percentage of punishment in criminal cases in the state stands at 29.80%. At present, there is no plan to form a Special Prosecution Cell in every police station under the Home Department,” Dr. Saha said. “However, to enhance the conviction rate, continuous monitoring is being conducted on pending cases in courts with the assistance of PAIRVI officers and police courts.”
Congress MLA Gopal Chandra Roy cited data from the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG), stating, “The disposal rate of civil cases stands at 60.8%. In the Supreme Court, out of 55,453 cases, 3,463 civil cases and 1,090 criminal cases were disposed of. With incidents of rape, murder, and assault rising, I would like to ask whether the punishment rate in criminal cases will improve or not.”
Raising further concerns, Roy referred to the January 16 modernization programme, where CM Saha had assured police station upgrades. “In reality, a special desk with a chair and table has been set up just for namesake. On the ground, we see that ‘Bahubali’-type criminals are increasing. Will the crime rate decline?” he questioned.
In response, CM Dr. Saha acknowledged the increase in criminal activities but assured that the government is taking measures to strengthen prosecution. “Over the past three years, cases of dacoity, robbery, dowry, molestation, assault, and violence have been reported, leading to 4,532 cases in 2022, 5,002 in 2023, and 4,033 in 2024. Recently, I attended a high-level meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Guwahati, where discussions were held on the implementation of three new criminal laws—Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA). Strengthening prosecution remains a priority.”
The state government’s move to establish Deputy Director Prosecution Cells across districts is seen as an effort to strengthen legal proceedings and improve conviction rates.
