Kolkata, Aug 16 (PTI) Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Sekhar Roy on Friday wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah demanding enactment of a stringent central law to prevent atrocities against women.
Roy, who had sat on a dharna on August 14 in solidarity with a midnight protest by women on the issue of the rape-murder of a post-graduate trainee doctor in RG Kar hospital here, said a stringent central Act is imperative to ensure safety of women in public and private places, including hospitals, educational institutions, asylums, shopping malls, public transport, trams, government-semi government, private workplaces and other establishments.
“Any complaint for incidents of sexual harassment, rape, rape with murder shall be statutorily recorded immediately after the incident and must be immediately reported to the nearest police station failing which the police officer concerned/other authorities must be suspended immediately,” the senior TMC MP and lawyer said in the letter.
He also called for the establishment of at least three fast-track courts in every district, with cases concluding within six months and no more than two adjournments for genuine reasons.
Roy demanded that if an investigating agency fails to provide required information within one month of a crime, the responsible personnel should be dismissed and face criminal prosecution.
“If the investigating agency fails to place every/all required information/evidence within a period of one month from the incident of crime, the personnel responsible for investigation must be summarily dismissed from service and face criminal prosecution entailing five years of imprisonment,” the letter, a copy of which was released to the media, stated.
“In every case where the crime committed is proved beyond doubt, the offenders must be punished with five-10 years of rigorous imprisonment, or life imprisonment, or death sentence depending upon the nature and severity of the crime,” he added.
The post-graduate trainee doctor was allegedly raped and murdered in the seminar room of the state-run health facility on August 9. A civic volunteer was arrested in connection with the crime the next day.
Kolkata Police on Friday said it has so far arrested 19 people in connection with the vandalism and violence at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital. Those arrested were remanded to police custody by a city court till August 22, officials said. PTI SUS MNB
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