The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : KAT comes to the rescue of police officer

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Nov 01, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

KAT comes to the rescue of police officer

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: The Karnataka Administrative Tribunal (KAT) has directed the State Government not to issue charge sheet against Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Bangalore, G.A. Bawa.

Mr. Bawa, who was to retire on October 31, had moved the KAT against a Government Order appointing Additional Director-General of Police (Prisons) S.T. Ramesh, to conduct an inquiry against 10 police officials who are accused of dereliction of duty in filing a case against Abdul Kareem Lala alias Telgi in Upparpet Police Station in the multi-crore fake stamp paper racket.

Mr. Bawa was then the Additional Commissioner of Police (ACP), Upparpet, and he along with several officers were alleged to have shown undue favours to Telgi.

The Stamp Investigation Team (STAMPIT) which initially investigated the fake stamp paper racket, had recommended action against some of the police officials.

In his application before the KAT, Mr. Bawa said though Mr. Ramesh was appointed in 2005, no charge sheet was issued to him.

He apprehended that a charge sheet could be issued to him in the last week of October solely with the intention to prevent him from obtaining retirement benefits.

He said the retirement benefits due to him would be withheld if a charge sheet was issued to him by Mr. Ramesh.

In an interim order, the KAT Chairman, Srinivasa Reddy, directed the State not to issue a charge sheet till it filed objections to the application by Mr. Bawa.

Directed

A Division Bench comprising the Chief Justice, Cyriac Joseph, and Justice Ashok B. Hinchigeri took severe exception to the conduct of the State Government in allowing an inspector of police, Bharatinagar police station, Bangalore, in filing an affidavit relating to the holding of protests and rallies in Bangalore.

The police inspector had signed the affidavit in which the State Government had stated that a suitable land should be identified for holding rallies and protests in Bangalore city.

When the matter came up, the bench sought to know from the State Government advocate what prevented the Government from ensuing that the affidavit was signed by a senior Government official.

Direction

In its order, it directed the Home Secretary, Chief Secretary or the Commissioner of Police to file an affidavit.

The Bench said it took serious exception to the conduct of the Government in authorising an inspector of police to file an affidavit in a sensitive and important matter though he was not at all a party to the petition.

The Bench adjourned further hearing on the case to November 21.

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