We will avoid political interference in Police department: Ramalinga Reddy

October 07, 2017 04:08 pm | Updated 04:28 pm IST - Belagavi

“The State government plans to increase the minimum tenure of police officers to two years from one year, in accordance with the Supreme Court judgment in Prakash Singh vs Union of India case,’’ Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy said in Belagavi on Saturday.

“We are committed to ending political interference in the functioning of the police. We will ensure that postings and transfers of police personnel and officers is handled by the Police Establishment Board, in a non-political manner,” he said. He was speaking to presspersons after reviewing the progress of police officers from the Belagavi range at the office of the Inspector General of Police.

Mr. Reddy, who is visiting the district for the first time after taking charge as Home Minister, clarified that the state government would bring in an amendment to existing laws to ensure this change.

He denied allegations by Leader of the Opposition Jagadish Shettar that the government was using Anti-Corruption Bureau officials to harass Income Tax officials to avenge the raid on Power Minister D.K. Shivakumar. “Mr. Shettar is making baseless allegations. I don’t know his source of information. As far as I know, ACB has not done anything that is beyond its scope. It will however, investigate into cases that are within its purview.”

He said he would not respond to Upa Lokayukta Justice Subhash Adi’s allegation that the ACB was created to curb the powers of the Lokayukta.

Gauri Lankesh case

He refused to divulge details of the investigation into the murder of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh, saying it could affect the investigation. “Over 100 officers are involved in finding out facts behind the offence. They are on the right track and the case will be solved soon. Some people had expressed the opinion that if the killers of Prof. M.M. Kalaburgi had been caught, Ms. Lankesh would not have met this end. That is why Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has constituted a special investigation team to probe the murder. That is their only job. I am confident they will do well.”

Earlier, at a meeting of Superintendents of Police, Additional SPs and Deputy SPs, he asked officers to act strictly against offenders. He suggested strengthening the new beat system that fixes responsibilities on individual officers. He asked officers to adapt new technological tools and polish professional skills. He asked officers to take a serious view of crimes against women and children. He asked senior officers to deputise personnel, including women, to carry out day beats in women’s colleges.

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