Cuttack: In an effort to raise conviction rate in the state, Crime Branch (CB) of Odisha police has issued a standard operating procedure (SOP) for the investigating officers.
The CB has sent the SOP to all inspectors general of police (IGs), deputy inspectors general of police (DIGs), the police commissioner of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar, all superintendents of police (SPs) and deputy superintendents of police (DSPs) recently. The SOP categorically asked the investigating officers to do audio-visual recordings of the investigation process including inquest, post-mortem, seizure of arms, dying statements and statements of the victims and witnesses.
These audio-visual recordings can be produced in courts as evidences.
“Investigating officers usually record the statements of witnesses as per Section 161 of the CrPC. On occasions, the witnesses change their statements in court. They also claim that they had given their earlier statements under pressure from police. Only audio-visual recordings can help the investigating officers in court,” the SOP read.
The SOP also asked police to produce phone recordings, CCTV footages and video recordings of crimes in courts to raise conviction rate in state.
“The conviction rate is low in Odisha in comparison to a few other states. The investigating officers of all 612 police stations in the state will follow the SOP and produce acceptable evidences against the accused to raise the conviction rate,” said an official of the CB.
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