COMMISSIONER of Police Ajai Raj Sharma today said that there have been cases of women and their family misusing sections of the Indian Penal Code which deal with crime against women.
Sharma, at the annual press conference, said the reason for the sharp rise in various crimes registered by the Crime Against Women (CAW) Cell of the police during 2001 may have been instances of such misuse.
According to the Delhi Police records, the number of dowry-related cases (under Section 406 of the IPC) registered till December 15,2001, had doubled when compared to the same time last year. Likewise, 1,158 cases of cruelty by husband or in-laws were recorded this year as against 947 last year. The number of kidnapped or abducted women stood at 1,015 this year against 964 cases last year.
Even other crimes against women have decreased only marginally this time around. For instance, cases registered under Dowry Prohibition Act were seven as against nine last year.
A serious debate occurred between police officials reportedly over Section 498(A) of the IPC, which states: ‘‘The husband or the relative of the husband... who subjects woman to cruelty shall be punished with imprisonment...’’.
According to Sharma, the section has been misused against the husband and his family on many occasions. ‘‘In certain cases, we can’t help registering a case. It is up to the society to refrain from such acts,’’ he said.
Such aberrations notwithstanding, the general feeling among the police officers who have been dealing with crime against women is that many women continue to suffer in Delhi. An official said that the final figures of crime against women were recorded after active counselling by the staff of the CAW Cell during which many cases were amicably settled.
‘‘In 2001, more than 1,000 cases of marital discord and dowry-related harassment were disposed off during negotiations and counselling by CAW. There are many borderline cases who are amenable to counselling and suggestions. So these are sorted out,’’ said a senior police official.
However, these were genuine cases of discord. But in those cases where attitudes have hardened, reconciliations become difficult. ‘‘The first effort of the police should be that of counselling. If differences still persist, then cases are registered,’’ said the official, adding that police are helpless even if they know that the case being registered is an attempt at falsely implicating the husband.