State government had strongly protest a probe by the Central Bureau of Intelligence (CBI) in Shailendra Agrawal case, in which the names of two former director general of police in present Samajwadi Party’s regime surfaced for running a transfer and recruitment agency in the department. State assured the government that director general police is already monitoring the enquiry into the matter and that directions have been given to Agra police to complete probe in time bound manner.
Social activist, Nutan Thakur, who was advocate in the writ filed in the above matter at lucknow Bench of Allahabad High court by Centre for Civil liberties, claimed that the government completely refuses the need for any such enquiry like CBI. She claimed that the government in its affidavit filed through Principal Secretary Home Debashish Panda has said that after first FIR filed against Shailendra on 01 May 2015 in Tajganj, Agra so far 34 other FIRs have been filed. Out of these 35 cases, Charge-sheet has been sent in 12 cases and 23 are still under investigation.
The Principal Secretary told the High Court that the SSP Agra first constituted a 7 member special investigation team on 12 May, raising the number to 11 on 04 June. He said the State government has also issued directions to the DGP on 12 August 2015 to conduct time-bound investigation of the remaining 23 cases. However, Thakur said the silence of State government about the two ex-DGPs despite definite evidences is worrisome and it is strange that the government machinery is making all-out efforts to save these two ex-DGPs, instead of enquiring their role.
Thakur had earlier alleged that the government is trying to shield both the former DGs, Al Banerjee and AC Sharma, who were found to be running promotion and transfer racket through their mobile phones. She said that the government believes that both the ex-DGPs Al Banerjee and AC Sharma have nothing to do with Agra’s Shailendra Agrawal case. She said that the affidavit filed by Prem Chand, SP Crime, Agra on behalf of the State government earlier-on, pointed that these officers are not named in the FIR and hence there is no need for any action.
Dr Thakur, said that the entire focus of the State government in its affidavit was to prove the petitioner wrong saying that no public interest is involved in the matter and the petition has been filed only for cheap popularity. She said the government also feels that the facts presented in the petition based on newspaper reports cannot be relied upon and hence there is no need to act upon them. Dr Thakur said she shall be presenting the various facts before the Court of how these officers are being saved by the investigating body.
It may be mentioned that a probe into the mobile data of the Samajwadi Party leader, Shailendra Agarwal, made sensational disclosure revealing involvement of both Banerjee and Sharma, along with some IAS officer for indulging in rampant corruption in posting and promotions in the Police Department. Sources said that an SMS by Shailendra fixing 7 lakh rupees rate for posting of SI and its acceptance by an ex-DGP through SMS has come. Other SMSs were rate of 20 lakh rupees for Departmental Promotion of Sub-Inspectors have been agreed upon between Shailendra and another DGP have also come up. Thakur also said that he made deep personal investigation in the matter and came to know that Al Banerjee is the DGP who fixed 7 lakh posting rate while A C Sharma is the ex-DGP who fixed 20lakh DPC rate.
Sources also said that Shailendra Agarwal, who reportedly made over Rs 200 crore through forgery or by using his connection to get transfers or promotions in the Police Department, had sent a SMS to a DGP that many sub-inspectors were contacting him to get promotions so what rate (Money to collect)he should fixed. To this, the DGP replied to collect Rs 20 lakh per candidate. Similarly, for transfer, DGP replied to collect Rs 7 lakh per transfer. The transfers are reportedly of non-gazetted cadre.
Sources said that the above disclosure reportedly came to the fore when the Agra police used some technical expertise through sleuths of the Central Bureau of Investigation to reprieve the SMSs record of the mobile phone used by Shailendra Agarwal, to extort money. Sources further confirmed that besides the two DGP rank officials, names of at least three senior IAS officer, one of whom earlier also remained as District Magistrate of Agra, also came to the fore in SMS scanning pointing that they also minted money through the Samajwadi Party leader by facilitation transfer and promotions in the Police Department.
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