Patna: Chief minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday told public prosecutors to improve how they place their arguments in court.
"We keep getting information from the public about you (public prosecutors). Argue properly with facts and logic. You have been unable to do so. I don't know whether this is due to lack of preparation or any daayein baayein (deviation) in your mind. Your responsibility is to put arguments properly," Nitish said at a daylong seminar-cum-workshop on "effective investigation, speedy trial and timely justice", jointly organised by the state home department and Bihar Judicial Academy (BJA).
Nitish also suggested that district magistrates should monitor cases at their level and ensure that public prosecutors present them properly in courts.
BJA chairman Justice Kishore Kumar Mandal, Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh, several judges from the lower courts, law minister Krishna Nandan Verma, advocate general Lalit Kishore, chief secretary Anjani Kumar Singh, director-general of police Pramod Kumar Thakur, home department principal secretary Amir Subhani, and the police top brass were present at the event.
A similar event was last organised in the state in 2006, which resulted in several speedy trials. Nitish recalled how his government was grappling with the situation at that time, when criminals would easily come out of jail.
"We decided to bring all cases related to the Arms Act to trial. The list of government witnesses was updated, trials were conducted effectively and criminals were given sentences," he said.
He said 6,839 persons were convicted in 2006 and the figure climbed to 9,853 in 2007, to 12,007 in 2008, to 13,146 in 2009 and to 14,311 in 2010.
"The figure came down to 5,508 in 2016. They have improved slightly in 2017, though the year is yet to end," he said.
He also pointed out how he focused on strengthening the police stations by ensuring better vehicles and stationery for complaints and FIRs.
Nitish said superintendents of police (SPs) should be careful while transferring junior officers so that no mix-up or scarcity of officers happen.
He expressed enthusiasm over the suggestions that came at the seminar and said the state government will ensure they are implemented quickly.
Nitish requested the BJA to train SPs and sub-inspectors so that there could be better coordination between the police, prosecution and the judiciary.
Suggestions at the seminar included recording of statements of informants immediately, proper description of the place of occurrence, forensic reports should be made available to investigators, DMs should tell civil surgeons to ensure report in legible handwriting, providing legal officers to SPs, and addressing the shortage of manpower at all levels in the judiciary.
