Home Ministry launches Sex offenders’ registry: 4.4 lakh people convicted for different sexual offences in India

For the first time national sex offenders’ registry launched on Thursday has names and details of some 4.4 lakh people convicted for different sexual offences across the country.

The database has registered those who were convicted for sexual offences from 2005 onwards. The database comprise name, address, photograph and fingerprint details of the convict.

According to Home Ministry's statement, the database would not compromise any individual’s privacy.

India turned out to be the ninth country in the world to have a National Database on Sexual Offenders (NDSO), accessible only to law enforcement agencies for the purpose of “investigation and monitoring”.

The proposal was first brought up by the UPA government after the 2012 Nirbhaya gangrape case in New Delhi.

The National Crime Records Bureau will maintain the database, that will also track whether the State police were updating the records from time to time.

The database will consist of offenders convicted under gang rape, charges of rape, Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) and eve teasing.

Union Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi while launching the database, expressed carefulness over sexual assaults in children’s shelter homes and increasing incidents of NRI grooms forsaking their brides.

She also brought to notice the issue of States not responding to a letter sent by her ministry for procurement specially-designed forensic kits that would help in tamper-proof collection of evidence leading to better conviction in such crimes.

Joint Secretary of the Home Ministry Punya Salila Srivastava replying to Gandhi's concern said approximately 79 lakh rape kits were in the process of procurement and distribution across the country.

She said, “In Muzaffarpur in Bihar, the head of a shelter home allegedly sexually assaulted several children, but he was not arrested immediately. There was a tunnel from the shelter home to his residence. That means the crimes must have taken place in his residence. I appeal to all DGPs to keep a close eye on all shelter homes.”

Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who was also present in the event launched another portal, cybercrime.gov.in, which will receive complaints from citizens on objectionable online content related to child sexual, child pornography, abuse material, and sexually explicit material such as gang rape and child rape.