PORVORIM: Members of legislative assembly alleged that false complaints of sexual assault were being filed against men and demanded a proper inquiry to be conducted by the police before registering such cases.

Agreeing with the members, chief minister Manohar Parrikar said that he will ask the two ladies in the House, Alina Saldanha and Jennifer Monserrate, to advise the government on how to tackle false complaints. He also said that a committee could be constituted with members of the House and two women police officers.

Narrating an incident which took place in a bus, where a boy unintentionally touched a girl when bus hit a pot hole, former chief minister and Margao MLA Digambar Kamat said that the boy was innocent but that girl called the police control room, and at next stop the boy was arrested. He said that before proper verification, cases should not be registered.

Kamat also said the government should issue directions to the police that such cases should be first investigated by senior police officers in order to ascertain the genuineness of the case. Leader of opposition Pratapsingh Rane also demanded that an investigation be conducted before filling case against men.

Parrikar also narrated an incident where a woman had lodged a complaint against her neighbour for trying to sexual assault her and rape her only because of her previous enmity.

Parrikar said that there are around 10% false complaints filed against men, whereas 90% of the cases are genuine. He also said that the government is very sensitive on crimes against women, while pointing out that there has been increase in crime against women because “we are registering cases”.

