Official data shared by the Ministry of Home Affairs showed that from 2014 to 2022, the total number of cases registered by UAPA was 8,719. Of these, 567 resulted in acquittals and 222 resulted in convictions. (Getty)
Official data shared by the Ministry of Home Affairs showed that from 2014 to 2022, the total number of cases registered by UAPA was 8,719. Of these, 567 cases resulted in acquittals and 222 cases resulted in convictions
Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) cases registered by different law enforcement agencies are showing a worrying trend with the total number of acquittals being more than double the total number of convictions.
Since 2014, the acquittal rate has been much higher than the conviction rate except for one year. This trend has not changed, with the number of exonerations in 2022 being the highest since 2014.
Official data shared by the Ministry of Home Affairs showed that from 2014 to 2022, the total number of cases registered by UAPA was 8,719. Of these, 567 resulted in acquittals and 222 resulted in convictions.
According to data compiled by the Ministry of Home Affairs, 976 cases were registered in 2014, but only nine resulted in convictions and 24 acquittals that year. This pattern has continued over the years, with some changes. In 2015, the total number of UAPA cases filed in the country by different police and agencies was 897.
The pattern of high acquittals and low convictions remained unchanged in 2016, with 11 convictions and 22 acquittals.
In 2017, there was a slight increase in the number of convictions (34), 33 of which resulted in the acquittal of the accused, out of which the total number of cases registered by different law enforcement agencies was 901. However, in 2018 and 2019, 1,182 and 1,226 cases were registered respectively, and despite the high number of registrations, the acquittal rate remained high. In 2018, courts acquitted defendants in 68 cases, and in 2019, a total of 64 cases were acquitted.
In 2020, the number of acquittals increased significantly to 99, while the number of convictions decreased to 27.
2022 saw the highest number of acquittals at 153, while 36 people were convicted.
What experts say
News18 spoke to multiple officials, including the former director of the National Intelligence Agency, who declined to speak on the matter but said investigations under UAPA were the most stringent.
The Director General, who led the NIA over the years, said: “These acquitted cases do not belong only to the NIA. In fact, state police also investigated UAPA cases, but the acquittal rate was high due to poor quality and amateurish investigation by the states. NIA The conviction rate is over 90%, and officials will investigate based on the circumstances of the case. These figures are worrying, and countries should fix the loopholes.
Another former director of the National Intelligence Service also pointed the finger at the state police, but added that investigating terror-related cases was not easy and required a lot of time. “In these cases, if the accused were terrorists, they would have been killed. Almost all cases have direct or indirect foreign links, which is the hardest part to prove as it is difficult for investigating agencies to obtain direct evidence and rely on supporting evidence Submit a chargesheet. The state police are also not keen on investigating these cases and only outstanding ones are transferred to the NIA,” they said.
