Agartala: Woman Inspector (UB) Swapna Bhowmik of Belonia Women Police Station in Tripura has been awarded the Kendriya Grihamanti Dakshata Padak for 2025 in recognition of her exceptional investigation and prompt action that led to the conviction of an accused in a POCSO case within 257 days of its registration.
According to official sources, the case, Belonia Women Police Station Case No. 2024WMN029, dated September 15, 2024, was registered under Sections 127(1), 96, 76, and 65(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 4 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The case originated from a missing report of a minor girl lodged on September 14, 2024. Acting swiftly, Inspector Bhowmik recovered the victim the same night, registered the case, facilitated her medical examination, and ensured that her statement was recorded before a magistrate under Section 183(5) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) the following morning.
Based on her meticulous investigation, the accused was promptly arrested. The charge sheet was filed within 47 days, on October 31, 2024, under Sections 127(1)/96/76/65(2)/351(2) of BNS and Section 6 of the POCSO Act.
The trial was conducted in a Fast Track Court and resulted in conviction.
The court sentenced the accused to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 10,000 under Section 6 of the POCSO Act, and two years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 2,000 under Section 137(2) of BNS.
The victim was also granted Rs. 2,00,000 under the Victim Compensation Scheme.
Officials said the case was among the first in Tripura to be investigated and tried under the new criminal laws, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA), which focus on ensuring swift and victim-centric justice.
The Union Home Ministry recognised Inspector Bhowmik’s outstanding professionalism and efficiency in investigation as an example of effective law enforcement under the reformed criminal justice system.
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