Taking an adverse view of delay in conclusion of Departmental Enquiries (DEs) against police personnel, Delhi Police Commissioner Y S Dadwal has asked senior officials concerned to deal with pending complaints related to corruption and criminal acts by February next year.
The police chief has issued an order directing all the officers to conclude DEs before February 28, 2011.
According to an official data pertaining to police personnel involved in criminal and corruption cases pending trial, enquiries remained latent in 67 corruption cases.
In 198 such cases, DEs have not been initiated at all. Further, enquiries had not been completed in 86 criminal cases while there were no DEs in 841 such cases, the order said.
“Such a course of action clearly indicates apathy or inaction on the part of disciplinary authorities towards corruption and criminal activities of the subordinates and as such may lead to a state of fearlessness on the part of such officials,” it stated.
According to a senior official, Mr. Dadwal fumed over the way DEs were being handled by some of its senior officials.
“There were efforts to expose people involved in corruption and criminal acts. But those efforts were not bringing in desired results due to inaction of some officials,” Joint Commissioner of Police (Vigilance) Dr N Dilip Kumar said.
“Now since the guidelines have been issued, all officers have to abide by them and take action accordingly,” he said.
The effort is to portray an honest and transparent image which is possible only by the cooperation of all, Mr. Kumar said.
“We are taking all measures and stiff action to check corruption among our personnel,” the JCP said.
According to the data received under the Right to Information Act, 2,297 instances came to notice between 2007 and May 2010 in which at least 2,350 policemen, including Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) level officers, were issued show-cause notices, faced DEs or criminal cases.
A total of 199 criminal cases were also registered against policemen for offences like extortion, involvement in dowry harassment cases, beating up of youths, molesting girls and taking bribes during the period.
The order clarified “that even if criminal case does not proceed or its disposal is being unduly delayed, the departmental proceedings, even if there were stayed on account of the pendency of criminal case, can be resumed and proceeded with so as to conclude them at an early date.”
All JCPs, Additional Commissioners of Police and Deputy Commissioners of Police shall “personally monitor the progress,” the order added.
