Approximately 360 old cases currently under trial have been selected for continuous monitoring through the new system. A specialised Trial Monitoring Cell has been set up within the Intelligence Department at Lalbazar, the police headquarters, to oversee the initiative.
Police officials noted that while investigation and arrest form the initial stages of a criminal case, greater attention is now being directed toward ensuring that trials reach a conclusion and the guilty are held accountable. The newly formed cell is reviewing selected matters in coordination with investigating officers and government lawyers.
Among the cases chosen for monitoring are several high-profile incidents. These include the 2010 Park Street fire and the 2011 fire at a private hospital in Dhakuria in which 89 patients died. The list also covers important cases from various police stations that remain unresolved, as well as certain matters originally handled by the West Bengal Police that were later assigned to Kolkata Police by court order.
Officials identified several recurring reasons for delay. In many instances the original investigating officer has retired or been transferred. Witnesses frequently fail to appear in court on scheduled dates. In some cases charges have not been framed because all accused persons have not been produced together before the trial can begin. These procedural bottlenecks have prolonged proceedings across multiple files.
The Trial Monitoring Cell is examining these obstacles case by case. Parallel to the human review process, Lalbazar officers are prioritising the development of a digital application that will consolidate all relevant information.
Once operational, the app is expected to be accessible on the mobile devices of police-station officers, investigating officers, members of the Trial Monitoring Cell, senior Kolkata Police officials, government lawyers and court staff. Users will be able to view the current status of each case, the number of witnesses who have already deposed, the number of testimonies still pending, the custody or bail status of accused persons, the number of hearings already held, and the next scheduled date.
By placing this information in a single, shared digital platform, the police aim to improve coordination among investigators, prosecutors and the courts, and to identify delays at an earlier stage. The combination of a dedicated monitoring cell and a purpose-built application represents an institutional effort to address long-standing bottlenecks in the trial process for older cases.
Further details on the timeline for the app’s rollout have not yet been announced.
