Pune Records Lowest Conviction Rate Among 19 Metros, Reveals NCRB 2023 Report

Pune, October 3, 2025: Despite Maharashtra showing steady improvement in crime conviction rates, Pune city has remained among the bottom three of the 19 metropolitan cities with populations over 20 lakh between 2021 and 2023, according to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB)’s annual 2023 report.

In 2023, Pune recorded the lowest conviction rate for Indian Penal Code (IPC) crimes among all 19 metros, at just 8.8%. The city also reported the second-lowest conviction rate for offences under Special and Local Laws (SLL), at 14.5%, ahead of only Nagpur. NCRB data revealed that between 2021 and 2023, Pune police secured convictions in 1,681 cases, while 6,651 cases ended in acquittals and 1,591 were discharged due to insufficient grounds for trial.

By contrast, Maharashtra’s overall conviction rate in 2023 stood at 49.3% for IPC cases and 27.9% for SLL offences, reflecting an improvement from 45.1% and 21.4%, respectively, in 2022.

Experts have pointed out that the decline in Pune’s conviction rate is concerning given the city’s relatively low crime rate of 337.1, which is well below the national average of 448.3 and the state average of 470.4. Pune, however, figures among the top three metros in filing chargesheets, with a rate of 94%. The sharp contrast between high chargesheet filing and poor conviction outcomes has raised concerns among legal and policing specialists.

The trend continued in 2024 as well, with Pune police securing convictions in only 291 cases, while 1,447 ended in acquittals, according to police data shared earlier this year. Experts have attributed the city’s consistently low conviction rates to weak evidence presentation, inadequate analysis of court judgments and poor coordination with public prosecutors.

Senior officials in the past routinely reviewed court judgments in cases that failed to secure convictions to identify investigative lapses and prevent recurrence. However, this practice has gradually faded. Legal experts also underlined the lack of accountability among public prosecutors, who now operate independently as officers of the court, unlike in the past when they functioned within the police department as prosecutors.

Poor police-prosecutor coordination and prolonged trial delays have also been highlighted as key issues. Officers often remain overburdened with miscellaneous duties, affecting the quality of investigations. In several instances, cases such as bank card frauds and other financial crimes were not pursued with seriousness, reflecting gaps in investigative commitment. Experts described this as a collective failure worsened by long trial delays of 5–6 years, during which witnesses either fail to appear or withdraw support for the prosecution.

Maharashtra currently has around 150–160 civil police officers per lakh of population, far below the internationally recommended 222 officers per lakh.

Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwala Pawar speaking to a publication observed that prolonged trials often result in accused persons being granted bail after extended incarceration, which discourages witnesses from cooperating with the prosecution. Pawar further noted that technical complexities often affect case outcomes. In cases under MCOCA, investigators must meticulously document evidence linking the accused to gang leaders; without this, the accused benefit from reasonable doubt. Similarly, proving conspiracy under Section 120B is difficult without direct evidence, making strong circumstantial evidence critical.

She stressed the urgent need for a dedicated investigation unit, as investigations are often compromised when officers are diverted for law and order duties. Chargesheets are sometimes filed hastily without thorough groundwork, ultimately weakening cases in court.

Graphics & Data

Pune Conviction Rate

2023: IPC 8.8%, SLL 14.5% (Cases: Conviction 336, Acquittals 2,382, Discharged 426)

2022: IPC 16%, SLL 7.2% (Cases: Conviction 644, Acquittals 3,077, Discharged 851)

2021: IPC 34.3%, SLL 19.6% (Cases: Conviction 701, Acquittals 1,192, Discharged 315)

Maharashtra Conviction Rate

2023: IPC 49.3%, SLL 27.9%

2022: IPC 45.1%, SLL 21.4%

2021: IPC 54.4%, SLL 18.7%

Between 2021 and 2023, Maharashtra police secured convictions in 2,99,772 cases, while 3,68,089 ended in acquittals and 1,13,605 were discharged due to lack of grounds for trial.

Crimes in India are classified under IPC, covering general offences against individuals, property and public order, or under SLL, which includes state or subject-specific laws like the Arms Act or Forest Act. NCRB 2023 data was compiled under IPC and SLL as the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) came into effect only from July 1, 2024.