Sexual Offenders Registry For Law Enforcement Agencies

A new development.

- Sanjeev Sirohi

It is most gratifying and satisfying to learn that from now onwards victims of online sexual abuse can report the same anonymously from their homes without bothering to run from pillar to post and pleading with police to lodge their report! The first-of-its-kind national sex offenders registry was launched on September 20. It was widely reported in many newspapers that this national sex offenders registry has the names and details of some 4.4 lakh people convicted for various sexual offenses across the country.

It is beyond a straw of doubt that the real credit for taking this landmark initiative goes to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh who took active personal interest in ensuring that a dedicated portal,cybercrime.gov.in is launched at the earliest to receive online complaints pertaining to child pornography, child sexual abuse content and sexually explicit material depicting rape or gang rape. It was pointed out that, “This will not only aid the victims/complainants but also help the civil society organizations and responsible citizens to anonymously report such complaints. The complaints registered through this portal will be handled by police authorities of respective State/UTs. There are other features such as a victim or complainant can track his/her report by opting for ‘report and track’ option using his/her mobile number.” The Home Ministry also operationalized a second portal carrying national database on sexual offenders. It must be clarified here that the sexual offender's registry which already has 4.4 lakh entries of those convicted in cases of rape, gangrape, POCSO, eve-teasing, etc, will be accessible only to law enforcement agencies.