The mobile application, which tracks the work of public prosecutors in Madhya Pradesh, has begun to show results with 10 death sentences awarded in as many rape cases in the past six months, a senior official said today.
One of these cases, in the state's Katni district, even found mention in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Independence Day speech last week.
A 34-year-old man, Rajkumar Kol, was sentenced to death on July 27, within five days of the trial commencing, for raping a five-year-old.
He was arrested on July 7, a charge sheet was filed on July 12 and hearing in the case started on July 23.
Director of Public Prosecution Rajendra Kumar told PTI that as part of the "eProsecution app" introduced eight months ago, about 1000-odd prosecution officers have to keep a daily log of their work which has to be approved by their immediate superior.
Kumar informed that the state has 200 prosecution offices in 50 cities and 150 tehsils and the app had made it easy to track their work and get a clarification from those whose work was not up to the mark.
"About two months ago, a reward system was also introduced to motivate prosecutors to fast track the hearings and ensure quick convictions. For every death penalty, the prosecution officer gets 1,000 points and 500 for a life sentence. Other convictions also get them points as per the prescribed slab," Kumar said.
The points help the government choose the best prosecutor at the state and district levels, he said.
On August 3, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had felicitated public prosecutors from across the state at a function for securing death sentences to people accused of raping minors.
The Madhya Pradesh Assembly had on December 4, 2017, passed a bill awarding death to those found guilty of raping girls aged 12 and below.
Affirming that the app and its reward system was creating a sense of competition among prosecutors, Kumar said, "It was earlier thought that the prosecution officers of four-five big cities were delivering results. Now, prosecutors from smaller places are outperforming others."
"A sense of competition has developed and they are participating in the hearings with proper preparation," he claimed.
The director said rise in conviction was also because prosecutors were participating in training sessions where they get to interact with judges.
The state, in the current year, has seen 10 instances in which people tried for raping minors have been given the death penalty.
In the first such case, on February 28, a Shahdol court had awarded the death penalty to Vinod alias Rahul Choutha (22) for raping and murdering a four-year-old girl on May 13 last year. The Madhya Pradesh High Court upheld the death sentence on August 8.
An Indore court sentenced Naveen Gadke to death on May 12 for raping and murdering a four-month old girl on April 20 this year.
On May 17, a local court in Dhar sentenced 19-year-old Karan Bheel to death for raping and killing a four-year-old girl on December 15 last year.
On June 19, a court in Sagar district sentenced Sunil Adivasi (21) to death for raping and murdering a nine-year-old girl on April 13.
Bhagirath Patel (40) was given the death penalty on July 7 by a court in Rehli in Sagar district for raping a nine-year-old on May 21.
On July 27, a Gwalior court awarded death to Jitendra Kushwaha (25), a vendor, for abducting, raping and murdering a six-year old. The incident happened in the intervening night of June 20-21.
Three more convicts were awarded death penalty in August this year. On August 6, a Chhatarpur court sentenced Touheed Musalman (19) to death for raping a two-and-a-half year old girl on April 24.
On August 13, a court in Datia sentenced 20-year-old Nandkishore Gupta to death for sodomising and killing a 13-year-old boy on March 2.
On August 16, a Burhanpur court sentenced Prakash Lahase (34) to death for raping and killing a 30-year old woman on May 17.
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