Now Assam to emulate Bihar's speedy trial model

After Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand, Assam is keen to adopt the Bihar’s model of speedy trials that led to more than 79,000 convictions of criminals including politicians and lawmakers during the past seven years, a Bihar police official said on Monday.

Conviction rate in Bihar is highest in the country due to the fast-track courts.

Impressed with the success of speedy trial of criminals in Bihar, Assam -- which has been facing terror troubles for decades -- has expressed its willingness to study the concept of speedy trial from Bihar and its techniques including legal side for effective use to control crime.

“Bihar police chief Abhyanand was recently invited by the Assam government to attend a special conference on speedy trial model,” a Bihar police official said in Patna on Monday.

According to the official, this is the second time that Abhyanand has been invited by a state government to understand the Bihar model of speedy trial after Jharkhand.

Earlier this month, a resolution was adopted at the 43rd All India Police Science Congress 2013, in Patna, that the high rate of conviction in Bihar had served as a deterrent for criminals and has thus improved the law and order situation. It has been approved for emulation across the country.

Last year, a team of Uttar Pradesh police visited Bihar to study the concept of speedy trial and strategise of its implementation to control crime.

According to a report compiled by the police, a total of over 79,000 people have been convicted and punished in the state between January 2006 and January 2013, higher than any comparable period for decades.

Police officials said the high rate of convictions played an important role to improve law and order in the state in the last few years.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has time and again told the people that criminals now fear disturbing law and order in the state because of his "political determination to prosecute them through speedy trials".

He said the high rate of conviction has instilled a sense of fear in the minds of criminals and anti-social elements.