Fraud cases, including economic fraud, cyber fraud and employment frauds, being on the rise in Dehradun and Haridwar districts, the investigation officers will have to change their style of functioning, said State DGP MA Ganapathy while addressing the police officers in a seminar at police lines in Dehradun. The investigation officers should learn to delve deep into the laws dealing with crimes, he added.
Ganapathy shared his experiences with the police officers and gave them tips on how to effectively solve the registered cases. He said that such workshop should be organised from time to time at the range level in order that the quality of investigation in the registered case improves. “We must ensure that the culprits are meted out maximum punishment,” he said.
On the second day of the seminar on Saturday, police officers were educated about various nuances of Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act -2003 (COTPA). Tobaccos are injurious to health and it is also expensive to consume, said DGP Ganapathy while directing the police officers to ensure that police stations and police barracks are demarcated as no-smoking zones. He said that police should take action against school going students using tobacco products in violation of COTPA. Head constables should be more empowered in order to implement COTPA effectively, he said. The current status on the execution of COTPA Act in districts should be included in the monthly crime meetings, he further said, adding that they would execute COTPA more effectively at all the public places across the state.
He applauded IG Sanjay Kumar Gunjyal for organising such a workshop at the range level. “Here the economy being in a upswing economic crimes are spiraling. Things are particularly so in Dehradun and Haridwar districts. We must be on our guard,” he said, adding that the police officers would benefit from this workshop with experts from CBI aside from the senior cops giving lectures at the seminar.
Notably, around 280 investigating officers are participating in this seminar. IG Gunjyal said that white collar economic offences are on the rise. Cases related to false insurance policy, offering false lottery through mobile phones, duping the people on the pretext of providing jobs, lands and others are being reported daily, he said.
He further said that with the passage of time, the pattern of crimes is changing. Gunjyal laid emphasis on collection of documents and scientific evidences of the registered cases based on investigation. Police officers should conduct free and fair investigation of the registered cases to provide maximum punishment to the accused, the senior cop said.