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Rediff.com  » News » 'Rape victims' statement should be videographed'

'Rape victims' statement should be videographed'

By A Correspondent in New Delhi
October 17, 2008 12:56 IST
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Citing an increase in the rate of suicides in India, Uttar Pradesh Governor T V Rajeswar has suggested the victims' evidence be videographed before a magistrate and should be made admissible for prosecution.

In a communication to the Law Commission, the Governor urged it to recommend that presence of the victim, if she is a foreigner, in the court during trial should be disposed of and the guilty punished on the basis of her authorized video evidence.

He said the normal legal method, otherwise, is inadequate as it is very difficult for a tourist who comes to India for a couple of weeks to come back to give evidence when the trial starts. He also suggested that such cases be dealt by fast-track courts, with a time limit fixed for disposal.

Governor Rajeswar said that it takes years before a rape case is decided and as such the entire impact of punishment on the guilty is lost. He warns that the number of rapes is going up day by day all over the country and the only remedy is to instill fear of punishment by ensuring that the accused spend some years in jails.

He suggested that charges in the rape cases should be made mandatory to be filed within 90 days and that the guilty should not be released on bail during this period. Further, fast track courts be asked to decide these cases in six to nine months.

Eve-teasing and 'reckless killer-drivers' are two other issues tackled by the Governor in his communication to the Law Commission Chairman.
 

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A Correspondent in New Delhi