Former additional advocate general Momota Oinam on Friday stressed the importance of preventing crime against women and children in the state and appealed to the police personnel of every police station to lodge ‘Zero FIR’ to provide a quick redressal to victims, particularly women and girls so that timely action can be taken after registration of FIR.
She was speaking as a resource person during the one-day state level workshop on ‘Sensitisation of state women police personnel on the role of Manipur State Commission for Women' that was organised by the Manipur State Commission for Women (MSCW) and Manipur Police department at 1st MR Banquet Hall, Imphal West.
About Zero FIR, Momota elaborated that as per section 154 CrPC, if any information relating to the commission of any cognizable offense is received by a police station, the police are duty-bound to register the FIR. However, if the crime does not occur within the jurisdiction of the police station, then the ‘Zero FIR’ can be registered, and the same has to be transferred to the police station concerned where the offense has been committed.
Therefore, the place of crime and jurisdiction of the police station becomes irrelevant when a cognizable offence is disclosed, and the police station is obligated to instantly transfer the pertinent documents over to the police station concerned, she mentioned.
She also explained the roles of MSCW.
MSCW Chairperson Salam Ulka Devi said that the commission is required to work hand-in-hand with the police personnel. The programme has been organised to fill the gap between the commission and police personnel, she said.
As a resource person, advocate of the High Court of Manipur Thiyam Rajkishore explained the roles and responsibilities, and duties of the Commission. She recalled that the commission was established under the Manipur State Commission for Women Act, 2006 (Act No.13 of 2006 of Government of Manipur).
Under the Act, the commission investigates and examines all matters relating to the safeguards provided for women under the Constitution of India and other relevant laws, he said. The commission recommends steps to be taken by the state government for effective implementation of the safeguards and welfare measures for women, he added.
Under the Act, various sections are bound to apply while handling the cases to safeguard the interest of women, he said.
The sensitisation was attended by MSCW members Thumlip Tiningpham, Lourenbam Dayabati Devi, and T Chuongsin Koireng, IGP (Training) Manipur, Mamata Wahengbam (IPS) and women police personnel and representative of MSWC.
