Delhi: Police to fast-track cases of transgenders

The decision was taken days after the Ministry of Home Affairs asked chief secretaries of all the states and Union Territories to take steps to enforce the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019.

Delhi Police Commissioner S N Shrivastava has directed that a monitoring cell, headed by a JCP rank officer, be set up to monitor cases of offences against transgender persons.(File)

Delhi Police Commissioner S N Shrivastava has directed that a monitoring cell, headed by a JCP rank officer, be set up to monitor cases of offences against transgender persons. The cell is meant to ensure timely registration, investigation and prosecution of such cases.

The decision was taken days after the Ministry of Home Affairs asked chief secretaries of all the states and Union Territories to take steps to enforce the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019.

The order was issued last month by the DCP (Legal Cell) Rajesh Deo and sent to all the Special CPs, JCPs and DCPs.

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“The government has enacted the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 on December 5, 2019 and has since notified the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2020 on September 25, 2020. The law mandates adequate steps to be taken by state governments/UTs for not only providing for welfare measures to be taken, but inter-alia, steps to be taken for rescue, protection and rehabilitation of a transgender,” the order states.

Deo further states, “As per Section 18 of the Act, it is a punishable offence if anyone harms or injures or endangers the life, safety, health or well-being, whether mental or physical, of a transgender person or tends to do acts, including causing physical abuse, sexual abuse, verbal and emotional abuse, economic abuse… (it) will be punishable with imprisonment for a term not less than six months, but which may extend to two years with fine.”

Explaining the offences, Deo said, “(Offences include) compelling or enticing a transgender person to indulge in the act of forced or bonded labour other than any compulsory service for public purpose imposed by the government; denying…the right of passage to a public place or obstructs such person from using or having access to a public place to which other members have access to or a right to use; forcing or causing a transgender person to leave household, village or other place of residence.”

Deo said that as per the mandate laid under Section 11 of the Act, the police commissioner has directed the JCP of Special Police Unit for Women and Children (SPUWAC) to establish the monitoring cell.

Mahender Singh Manral

Mahender Singh Manral is an Assistant Editor with the national bureau of The Indian Express. He is known for his impactful and breaking stories. He covers the Ministry of Home Affairs, Investigative Agencies, National Investigative Agency, Central Bureau of Investigation, Law Enforcement Agencies, Paramilitary Forces, and internal security. Prior to this, Manral had extensively reported on city-based crime stories along with that he also covered the anti-corruption branch of the Delhi government for a decade. He is known for his knack for News and a detailed understanding of stories. He also worked with Mail Today as a senior correspondent for eleven months. He has also worked with The Pioneer for two years where he was exclusively covering crime beat. During his initial days of the career he also worked with The Statesman newspaper in the national capital, where he was entrusted with beats like crime, education, and the Delhi Jal Board. A graduate in Mass Communication, Manral is always in search of stories that impact lives. ... Read More

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