SC seeks Delhi Police response on recent rape, sexual assault cases

The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Delhi Police and the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to place their responses on record within four weeks in its suo motu proceedings concerning recent rape and sexual assault incidents in Delhi-NCR, orally observing that preventing crimes was more important than taking action after offences were committed.

A Bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K. Vinod Chandran stressed the need for effective preventive measures and continuous monitoring of vulnerable public spaces to ensure the safety of women and children.

The apex court orally remarked that merely putting measures on paper would not be sufficient and said authorities must take concrete steps to prevent crimes.

“We have to work



together. We must ensure that every woman in Delhi-NCR should feel safe even at 11 p.m., whether travelling on the roads or the metro,” the Justice Pardiwala-led Bench observed.

It further said the focus should be on preventing crime rather than merely acting after an offence has taken place.

“What is important is to prevent a crime, not what you do after a crime is committed,” the top court said, stressing that the police must create fear among “goons and anti-social elements” who are prone to committing such crimes.

The Supreme Court also questioned the Delhi Police on the effectiveness of CCTV surveillance in the absence of continuous monitoring and asked whether there was a mechanism to continuously monitor vulnerable areas.