Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi on Monday sought to refute the allegations that the city police were working under pressure from the Centre. The top cop said he never worked under pressure from any Government at the Centre. The Delhi Police is “robustly independent” and that there is no political pressure on it, he added.
Bassi also said, “I worked under both the Governments (UPA and NDA) at the Centre and none of them pressurised me for doing anything. The Delhi Police works as an independent law enforcing machinery and we owe duty to the rule of law.”
Detailing his position after meeting with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Bassi said the meeting was held in a professional manner keeping the law of the land in focus. “I told the Chief Minister about the honesty with which the Delhi Police tackles cases,” he said, adding Kejriwal got to know his view.
The Delhi Government has been loggerheads with Delhi Police over a number of issues and the party has stepped up its attack on it after arrest of its two MlAs. The party has been accusing the Delhi Police of bias against it saying its MlAs are being targeted under political pressure.
Bassi termed the AAP Government's demand for its control over the Delhi Police as a “political issue” adding that the present system was the best one. “Control over Delhi Police is a political issue. My personal opinion is that the Delhi Police system is an excellent system. It's a very good fortune of people of Delhi that an independent machinery works here which does everything as per law,” he said. He also denied that Kejriwal was putting pressure on the Delhi Police saying that “he has his own ideas and he is concerned with issues of Delhi. Anyone who is concerned with such issues will have his judgement impacted by local issues. It’s natural.”
Bassi said that it came during discussions that the Delhi Police was not working independently and it was suggested that if it worked with the Delhi Government, better results would have come.
“I had worked with the previous Government and now I am working with the present Government. I was never under pressure before or now. We do what we think is right.”I told them that no one asked us when we arrested Tomar and another MlA. Or anybody (Centre) asked us afterwards,” he said.”
Earlier in the day, Bassi said that police were accountable towards the “system” instead of any individual. “Police are always accountable towards the system and not to any individual. We are answerable to the Government and through it to Parliament,” Bassi told reporters after meeting with lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung. Bassi have come to attend a meeting at Raj Niwas on law and order situation. This was a weekly meeting chaired by the lieutenant-Governor and the Chief Secretary of Delhi. The Delhi Police Commissioner also made it clear that “police hawabazi se nahi chalti.”
Talking to reporters after meeting Jung, Bassi termed it a “routine weekly meeting. We discussed the law and order scenario and strategies to make Delhi better,” he said. “Police are accountable to system and not any individual. We adhere by the Gita that is our Constitution and various laws which govern policing in Delhi.”
About Delhi Government's criticism of police over law and order, Bassi said: “I take criticism in a positive spirit, even if it is wrong.” Kejriwal had earlier expressed shock over the incident said that the law and order situation in the national capital has deteriorated drastically in the recent past.
later, Bassi met Kejriwal at his office in the evening. Speaking about sharp attacks on the Delhi Police over law and order situation, Bassi said, “It is my duty that I should remove any misconceptions about policing. I have a good opportunity with the meeting to clear misconception if any.”
Referring to a complaint against Kejriwal by a constable over the formers alleged use of a derogatory word in describing cops, Bassi said the term was “unacceptable” but the offence was non-cognizable. “So we have not registered any FIR. I would not like to advice anyone on his personal views and assertions... We abide by the Constitution, IPC, CrPC and relevant laws so no attack on us matter when we abide by the law,” he said.