May bring bill on lines of ''Disha'' Act in bud session:Deshmukh

The Maharashtra government will try to bring a bill on the lines of the Andhra Pradesh

government's 'Disha' Act, 2019 to curb crimes against women in the ongoing budget session, the Legislative Council was told

on Wednesday. Responding to a calling attention raised by NCP leader

Hemant Takle on the issue of rising crimes against women, state Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said the government will try

to bring such bill in the ongoing session. "A team of five officers of police and home

departments is currently studying the Act," the home minister said.

Deshmukh said some stringent amendments were brought in the Andhra Pradesh legislation like death penalty for

gangrape. "We are looking into whether to replicate them in

Maharashtra as well," he said. The Andhra Pradesh Criminal Law (Amendment) Act 2019

seeks to complete investigation in seven days and trial in 14 working days, where there is adequate conclusive evidence, and

reducing total judgement time to 21 days from the current four months. The Act also prescribes death penalty for rape crimes

where there is adequate conclusive evidence. Disha is the name given to the veterinarian who was

raped and murdered in Hyderabad on November 27, 2019, which sparked a nationwide outrage.

A Maharashtra government committee is expected to submit its report on the Act by March 30.