The Hindu : New Delhi News : `Corrupt cops won't be spared'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jan 06, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

`Corrupt cops won't be spared'

By Devesh K. Pandey

NEW DELHI, JAN. 5. Indicating that even senior police officers would not be spared if found indulging in corrupt practices, Delhi's Police Commissioner, K.K. Paul, today said corruption at all levels must be exposed and the guilty booked to cleanse the force.

Regarded as a hard taskmaster when he took over as the Police Commissioner last year, Dr. Paul's first promise to the Capital's citizens was to fight corruption in the force and weed out unscrupulous elements to make it more efficient so that it lived up to its motto of "Citizens First".

While two assistant commissioners of police were arrested on different charges last year, the vigilance section found 2,488 police personnel indulging in malpractices during inquiries. In all, 67 constables, 10 head constables, a class-four employee, three assistant sub-inspectors and two sub-inspectors were dismissed from service after they were found involved in corrupt activities.

Four more constables, two head constables and an inspector were dismissed under Article 311(2)(b) of the Constitution after they were found indulging in criminal acts. Dr. Paul informed that the services of 342 personnel were forfeited, pay of three others reduced, and increments of 101 withheld after inquiries substantiated that they did not carry out their duty properly. "As many as 1,958 police personnel were censured for slackness and allegations against them and 121 inspectors were awarded punishments," he added.

In 2003, when R.S. Gupta was the police chief, 38 constables, a class-IV employee, 10 head constables, four assistant sub-inspectors and a like number of inspectors were dismissed from service on various charges, while four constables, two head constables and an inspector were dismissed under the Article 311(2)(b). The services of 241 police personnel were forfeited, salary of four reduced and increments of 77 personnel withheld. In all, 1,640 police personnel were issued censure notices and 119 inspectors awarded various punishments in 2003.

A comparison of actions taken against tainted policemen in two consecutive years reveals that 27 more personnel, mostly constables, were dismissed last year. However, there is an increase of over 100 cases in which the services of officers were forfeited for a certain period. Also, there has been a substantial increase in the number of censure notices, from 1640 in 2003 to 1958 last year.

Maintaining that strict vigilance was being kept on policemen of doubtful integrity, Dr. Paul said such officers should be removed with immediate effect on being found guilty of indulging in corruption. He said people having grievance about the conduct of any police officer could lodged complaints with his superiors or directly inform him.

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