Pune’s IPC conviction rate lowest among metros at 8.8% despite 94% chargesheet filing.
Cybercrime up 36%, crimes against women up 23%, and against children up 68% in Pune.
Maharashtra tops corruption and copyright cases, second in crimes against SCs.
Pune, 3rd October 2025: Pune has recorded the lowest conviction rate among India's major cities, sparking worries about the efficiency of its criminal justice system. According to the latest Crime in India 2023 report by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), the city, although it files chargesheets at one of the highest rates nationwide, faces challenges in achieving convictions.
In 2023, Pune had a conviction rate of only 8.8 percent for crimes under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the lowest among 19 metropolitan cities with populations exceeding 2 million. For crimes under Special and Local Laws (SLL), the city performed slightly better with a 14.5 percent conviction rate, but still ranked second-lowest, just above Nagpur.
From 2021 to 2023, Pune police secured convictions in 1,681 cases, while 6,651 cases resulted in acquittals and 1,591 were dismissed due to insufficient grounds to continue.
This disparity is notable when contrasted with Maharashtra's overall statistics. In 2023, the state achieved a 49.3 percent conviction rate for IPC offenses and 27.9 percent for SLL cases, both of which are improvements from the prior year.
Experts highlight that Pune's low conviction rate is concerning, given that the city's overall crime rate of 337.1 per lakh population is significantly lower than the national average of 448.3 and the state average of 470.4.
In addition to fragile convictions, Pune is facing a significant increase in criminal activities. Cybercrime incidents have increased by 36.4 percent compared to 2022, while crimes against women have risen by 23 percent, and offenses against children have escalated by 68 percent.
In 2023, Maharashtra recorded the most cases under the Prevention of Corruption Act at the state level, with 763 incidents, followed by Uttar Pradesh with 216.
Additionally, Maharashtra had the highest number of copyright infringement cases, with 335 incidents affecting 340 victims. Regarding crimes against Scheduled Castes under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, Maharashtra ranked second with 340 cases, while Uttar Pradesh led with 2,771 cases.
The NCRB report underscores a concerning disparity for Pune: although the police are prompt in submitting chargesheets, most cases fall apart in court. This inconsistency has sparked significant concerns regarding the quality of investigations, the trial procedures, and the justice system's effectiveness.