Several happenings involving policemen bringing ignominy on the much-vaunted discipline and integrity of the State police have occurred in a span of a month or so. Now, the top cops are stating that they are not sparing the accused policemen as far as actions against them are concerned. Several heads have rolled, they claimed.
Policeman being on a protest mode tying black ribbons on their sleeves on August 16, demanding correction of the pay anomalies left the State top cops red-faced. The dissenting cops even threatened to bring their family members out on Parade Ground to put further pressure on the State Government. However, in bid to quell things, the first of its kind in the State, State police had suspended two policemen in Haridwar aside from arresting three persons under IT Act and Police forces (restriction of rights) Act, 1966. Based on intelligence report and evidences collected from various social networking, departmental action had sought against 10 policemen, including seven in Kumaon division. Around 100 policemen were sent advisory directing them to desist from any kind of protest and warning them of stern action if they indulged in it. The district police officers were directed to lodge FIRs under above-mentioned laws against unidentified police personnel engaged in spreading rumours over the police stir that seriously dented the image of State police as a well-disciplined force.
A section of SOG police officers striking a deal with the fraudsters hogged the media glare, leaving the senior cops embarrassed. However, the state police stepped in and appointed SSP, police quarters, IPS Dr Sadanand Date to conduct inquiry into role of SOG vis-Ã -vis the case. Date had submitted his report that said that some of SOG members had downplayed the scam by suppressing the amount they were supposed to have recovered from the swindlers. Besides, the senior cops were kept at bay as far as the probe was concerned.
In a more recent case, four persons include one sub-inspector and two constables from City Patrol Unit (CPU) in Nainital district were arrested in Kathgodam for their alleged involvement in looting a businessman, Anup Aggarwal, native of Bareilly (Uttar Pradesh) of Rs 7.94 lakh. Kathgodam Police in-charge Sanjay Kumar Pandey said that police had recovered all the money looted by the accused. A case was registered under sections 394/120b/411/342 of IPC against CPU Sub- inspector lalit, CPU constables Ganesh and Virendra Chandra from Kathgodam police post.
The refrain keeps running for a long time that CPU personnel are extorting money from the people instead of focusing on maintaining traffic norms or preventing crimes with the senior cops fawning on them.
Based on USA’s modal, CPU was formed at the behest of the State DGP BS Sidhu in April 2014, to enforce traffic regulations and act as a swift response team to crack down on crimes like chain- snatching, eve- teasing and other offences.
lack of coordination between the State STF and Haridwar police is supposed to be slowing down the pace of investigation into the infamous serial ATM loot case wherein some tech-savvy miscreants had decamped with about Rs 37 lakh after breaking the codes of around five ATMs. Sources state that when the ATM heist case came to light teams from STF and Haridwar police swung into action to arrest the accused. However, things soured as both Uttarakhand STF and Haridwar police attempted to clinch the glory of arresting the master- mind Zamir from Siliguri, West Bengal. With STF and Haridwar police bent on grabbing the credit, Siliguri police themselves arrested the mastermind and produced him in the local court, it is learnt.