Corruption comes in many ‘grades’, says Annamalai in book

He talks about how bribe plays an important role in the policing world

The recently-released book by K. Annamalai, who joined the Bharatiya Janata Party after resigning as IPS officer of Karnataka cadre, has highlighted systemic corruption in the police system.

The book ( Stepping Beyond Khaki – Revelations of Real-Life Singham ), without taking the names of any officers, politicians or political parties, talks about how bribe plays an important role in the policing world. “It starts right from the time an officer enters into a new posting,” he writes.

He says that police postings are graded into four categories based on the “economic potential” of the area and nature of policing challenges. They are “tough and income-generating”, “tough and non-income generating”, “easy to work and income-generating”, and “easy to work non-income generating.”

Economically backward areas which tend to have issues like Naxalism form the “tough and non-income generating areas”. These areas attract either the idealistic or “thoroughly useless” officers, he said.

“Tough and income-generating places” are those where caste and communal conflicts keep the officers busy and also have income generating sources. They normally attract officers who are “practical, efficient, and also generally good but sometimes with suspect intentions.” Such areas could be managed by idealistic officers but they are not preferred by political set up or the senior officers.

However, “easy to work and income-generating” areas are those in major cities. This is where the “officers fight like cats and dogs to get posted,” says Mr. Annamalai. And, the “easy to work and non-income generating areas” normally get either idealistic or “useless officers.”

The author says he shared this information in detail in the book to help the readers understand that “bribe in policing is systemic.” The local politicians decide who gets posted to their district. “Needless to say, money plays a huge role in getting the post. Good, idealistic guys continue to be sidelined while resourceful ones keep moving up the ladder,” he writes. The author also remembers in the book Constables, Head Constables, Sub-Inspectors, and Inspectors, who excel in their job assigned, facing the challenges successfully.