Maneka tells states to take action against cops obstructing probe

New Delhi: Union Minister Maneka Gandhi on Thursday asked states to take strict action against police officers obstructing investigation or colluding with perpetrators in cases of crimes against women and children, and also sought time-bound completion of investigation in such cases.

She also suggested that forming special cell only for sexual offences or for sexual offences on children could be a significant step towards curbing such crimes.

She also asked the states to retrain their police officers on various aspects of sexual offences particularly those related to the collection and preservation of evidence.

In a letter addressed to the chief ministers of all states and Union Territories, the Women and Child Development Minister asked them to issue instructions to all police officers that utmost priority be given to complete investigation in cases of sexual offences against children as per the timeline of law.

The letter comes amidst nationwide outcry against the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua and rape of another minor girl in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao.

"State governments must take strict action against those police officers who are found to be obstructing the investigation or colluding with the perpetrators of such cases.

"A quick and timely professional investigation is the only method in which a potential offender can be deterred but this can be done only by the states as the police department is the state subject," she says in the letter.