Giving details on the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai informed the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, 22 December, that as many as 4,690 people were arrested in different parts of the country under the anti-terror law in the past three years, out of which 149 persons have been convicted, as per government figures.
According to these figures, the conviction rate comes to merely 3.17 per cent.
Out of 4,960 persons arrested under UAPA, 1,421 people were arrested in 2018, 1,948 in 2019, and 1,321 in 2020.
Providing the information in a written reply to a question, Rai said that a total of 35 people were convicted in 2018, 34 in 2019 and 80 in 2020.
Despite its draconian nature and fear of violation of human rights, since the burden to prove innocence lies on the accused, Rai claimed that the conviction is an outcome of an elaborate judicial process and depends on various factors such as duration of the trial, appraisal of evidence, and examination of witnesses.
He further emphasised, "There are adequate Constitutional, institutional and statutory safeguards including inbuilt safeguards in the UAPA itself to prevent misuse of the law."
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