Mumbai police’s crime against women cell severely understaffed, reveals RTI: Reports

The way the CAW Cell handles cases makes its operational flaws quite clear.

Nearly 2,000 complaints were received by the Mumbai police's special cell for crimes against women between January 2020 and April 2024, yet the unit still has a high turnover rate, eleven years after it was added to the division's crime section, according to media reports.

There is 61 percent vacancy rate in the Mumbai police's crime against women cell, according to a Right to Information (RTI) request made by activist Jeetendra Ghadge.

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The requests for information (RTI) state that one of the two roles of police inspector and assistant commissioner of police (ACP) are still open. Also, there are eight open positions out of the twelve authorised positions for police sub-inspectors (PSIs) and assistant police inspectors (APIs). Additionally, there are 37 vacant junior officer posts out of 61, which include constable roles, according to a report by Free Press Journal.

The way the CAW Cell handles cases makes its operational flaws quite clear. The section mostly forwards complaints to different police stations and does not look into First Information Reports (FIRs). Unit 1 of the CAW Cell received 230 complaints between January 2020 and April 2024. Of these, 144 were sent to police stations, 4 remained outstanding, and 50 cases were closed.

Over the same period, 1,688 complaints were received by the bureau for family conflicts. Of these, a startling 1,077 were sent to police stations, with 31 cases remaining unresolved. Of these, 273 were satisfactorily settled, 307 were closed, The Indian Express reported.

Moneycontrol couldn't independently verify these reports.

The prosecutorial success rate of the cell is likewise low; only one conviction has been obtained, and one case has resulted in an acquittal. This appalling track record highlights the cell's inability to serve as a reliable deterrence against crimes in Mumbai that target women.

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According to Jeetendra Ghadge of the Young Whistleblowers Foundation, "The CAW Cell's current state is a serious cause for concern. Its inability to investigate FIR cases, coupled with severe understaffing, means it is failing in its mandate to protect women. The cell needs immediate restructuring and reinforcement to function as an effective investigative body."