Notwithstanding punitive action against erring policemen from time to time, instances of corruption by them are surfacing more frequently of late.
The higher-ups maintain they have a policy of carrot for better performance and stick for neglecting duties, some policemen continue to hit headlines for wrong reasons. Though disciplinary action is initiated, instances of corrupt practices by policemen show the entire department in bad light.
A classic case is that of four constables working as writers and accounts in-charge in Hyderabad Home Guards unit defrauding the Police Department of several lakhs of rupees by presenting fake attendance sheets. Along with these four policemen, the HG commandant, J. Krishnaiah, Additional Superintendent of Police, too was put behind the bars ‘for complicity' in the embezzlement of funds.
This is not the first time that ‘corrupt practices' in HG unit have come to fore. Earlier, a fraud in enrolment of HGs involving some senior offices too was detected. A departmental inquiry report is believed to have found that some officers concerned had violated norms in this case. No one knows what disciplinary action was initiated against them.
These cases pertain to fraud within the Police Department. There are several cases in which greediness of policemen has directly affected the public. A case in point is the ‘stickers scam' in Hyderabad traffic police which led to suspension of an Inspector and two constables. Acquiring money and assets illegally is another category of cases which also made a dent on police image.
Arrest of Ranga Reddy Officer on Special Duty Sarveswhar Reddy, Chaitanyapuri Inspector Praveen Reddy, Medipally SI Prakash Rao and Chevella DSP Gunashekhar by the ACB are recent instances. The list of such cases is also too long.
An examination of these cases suggests there is no uniform pattern in such dishonest actions. They are resorting to wrong methods at different stages like registration of case, investigation into a crime, filing charge-sheet, recovery of stolen property, colluding with law violators and extorting money from offenders.
A constable of Mominpet police station was arrested for masterminding the killing of a former naxalite in Uppal. Investigation revealed that he worked on the murder plan for over two months and joined the ‘killers' within hours of executing the murder. Strangely, his superiors had no wind of his illegal activities.
In a majority of the cases, the wrong practices came to light only when the aggrieved party dared to approach the higher-ups. It is yet to be seen if focussed and close monitoring by senior officers after creation of more commissionerates can check policemen frequently hitting headlines for wrong reasons.
