LUCKNOW: Police personnel and responsible supervisory officers will face disciplinary action if the identity of any survivor of a sexual offence is disclosed, with accountability extending up to the district police chief. Director General of Police Rajeev Krishna has issued comprehensive directives to all police commissioners and district police chiefs across Uttar Pradesh, mandating that the confidentiality of women and minor victims must remain intact under all circumstances. The instructions require immediate adjustments not only in fresh investigations but also across existing police archives, ensuring that records containing victims’ names are segregated and safeguarded, with the ultimate responsibility of compliance resting on the designated officers.
Documents Identifying Victims to Be Secured in Sealed Envelopes
The state police chief emphasized that documents carrying names or any personal details capable of revealing a victim’s identity must be separated from general paperwork and placed inside sealed envelopes. Public-facing records must avoid actual names entirely and substitute them with pseudonyms or identifying markers designed to mask the individual’s identity. Police units have been explicitly instructed against bringing any record into the public domain that could inadvertently or directly lead to the identification of the survivor.
High Court Expressed Concern Over Name in Chargesheet
The strict directive comes against the backdrop of an observation by the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court during the hearing of a criminal case registered at the Achalganj police station in Unnao. The court found that the name of a minor survivor was included in the chargesheet and expressed deep concern over the procedural breach. The court also noted that although the victim’s younger brother had provided a statement, he was not cited as a witness in the case. Taking a serious view of these lapses, the court had ordered an inquiry against the investigating officer and called for concrete improvements in the prevailing system.
Accountability Fixed for Evidence on e-Sakshya Portal
To streamline digital evidence management and maintain procedural discipline, the DGP has mandated the linking of the Evidence Identification Number (SID) on the e-Sakshya portal with the corresponding First Information Report (FIR). Investigating officers must generate the SID and attach it directly to the relevant case file. Station house officers have been tasked with reviewing pending cases every day, while circle officers must supervise progress on a weekly basis. District police chiefs and senior officials are obligated to ensure that this procedure is completed within designated timelines. Before linking the SID, officers must verify the FIR number, year, district, and police station name to prevent evidence from attaching to the wrong case. The DGP warned that negligence will invite punitive action under departmental rules.
