The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : A case of intelligence failure?

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Sep 14, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

A case of intelligence failure?

By K.T. Sangameswaran

CHENNAI, SEPT. 13. Rudely jolted by disclosures of Jayalakshmi of Sivakasi of her links with several Tamil Nadu police officials, the police administration is making efforts to salvage the image of the force, once considered the best in the country.

Though the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the entire episode, a departmental enquiry by a Deputy Inspector-General of Police is on and proceedings would be initiated against the guilty.

A cross-section of police officers agrees that the image of the police force, in which the public is losing confidence due to various other reasons, has taken a severe beating due to the misdemeanour by a few officials, which was, however, "blown out of proportion by the media".

Off and on there have been reports of isolated instances of a few officers, including some seniors, being linked to such affairs. But this is perhaps the first time that several officers are alleged to have been involved. However, they say the episode will serve one major purpose — sending the right signals down the line on how officials should maintain utmost discipline and avoid getting embroiled in unnecessary controversies, which, besides tarnishing the image of the force may jeopardise their career.

What comes as a shock and of concern to officers is that the happenings had been going on for the past few years with the higher-ups either failing to come down heavily on their subordinates or the misdemeanour not brought to their notice at all.

"This may be yet another instance of gross failure of intelligence," points out a senior officer who regrets that the special unit prefers to remain choosy when it comes to recommending action against officials who are alleged to have erred. In any such controversy, the usual practice is to make a few lower-level officials scapegoats and the higher-ups cleverly escape action. The root cause should be gone into, failure should be detected and action initiated.

Going a step further, the retired Tamil Nadu Director-General of Police, V.R.Lakshminarayanan, asks how the woman moving with officials and her visits to police station went unnoticed by those who are supposed to monitor. "All over the country, intelligence agencies are not really doing their work". The ruling parties use the special units to subserve their interests. Worse, supervision by higher-ups and professionalism is totally lacking. If only the Police Standing Orders are followed in letter and spirit, situations such as the one the police find itself in at present, can be avoided.

"This is a malady of the force".

Polygamy taken lightly

One reason is that there is lack of will to strictly enforce the rule relating to polygamy, points out a Deputy Inspector-General of Police. Whenever instances of polygamy are brought to the notice of superior officers, they are not treated seriously, he said.

It appears that this time the authorities are serious. A senior officer says that so far five persons — an Additional Superintendent of Police, two inspectors, a sub-inspector and a Grade I constable-have been suspended. The sub inspector and constable were later arrested. Action will be taken against officials depending on the enquiry report. The officer says this is also an isolated incident. He points out that "policing the police is important". However, each and every action of a police official cannot be gone into.

Besides a DIG-level enquiry, instructions have been issued to task the officers, particularly at the sub-divisional level, so that qualitative work is done. "It is unfortunate that this incident has occurred. But serious action is being taken". Only time will tell whether the action has brought the desired result.

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