Out of 5,922 arrested, only 132 persons were convicted under the draconian law during 2016-2019
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI – The Union Home Ministry told the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday that from 2016 to 2019, 5,922 persons were arrested under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and among those, only 132 persons were convicted under draconian law putting the conviction rate at 2.2%.
“The total number of the persons arrested and the persons convicted in the years from 2016 to 2019 under the UAPA in the country are 5,922 and 132 respectively. The NCRB does not maintain this data on the basis of religion, race, caste or gender,” said Union Minister of State for Home G. Kishan Reddy.
He informed the Upper House that as per the 2019 Crime in India Report compiled by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), the total number of persons arrested under the Act in 2019 is 1,948.
In another reply, the minister stated that in the year 2019, as many as 96 persons were arrested for sedition (Section 194A IPC) but only two were convicted and 29 persons were acquitted. Of the 93 cases of sedition, the chargesheet was filed in 40 cases the same year. When asked about the steps taken to strengthen the sedition law in the country, the minister stated, “Amendment of laws is an ongoing process.”
Recently, under the UAPA, the Narendra Modi government has arrested a number of activists, who opposed Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and who were critical of government’s policies.
