Though Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his colleagues had claimed that “it is victory of the people of Delhi” after a compromising formula with the Centre on Tuesday, the high-handedness of the State Government is expected to demoralise the Delhi Police and honest individuals.
Delhi Government’s pressure on the Ministry of Home Affairs for suspension of policemen for alleged dereliction of duty may result in injustice to them. Inspector Vijay Pal Singh (34), who has been asked to go on leave, has been having meritorious past and had been working in security and protection of women in the Capital. It was Singh, who had investigated the December 16 gang-rape case in 2012. He is the one decorated police officer, who started a slew of initiatives in Delhi University colleges of South Campus for the safety of girl students during his tenure as Station House Officer (SHO) of South Campus police station.
Pal joined the Delhi Police in 1994 and was posted at Vasant Vihar as additional SHO. But after impressing his seniors while he was posted with the Delhi Police Crime Against Woman Cell, he became the SHO of South Campus police station of South Delhi in 2011. “After becoming the SHO of South Campus police station, he initiated several programmes after talking to all the principals of DU colleges of South Campus and then started number of awareness programmes for girl students concerning their safety and security,” a senior police officer said.
Pal had also impressed his seniors after curbing several snatching and molestation case, which earlier occurred in the concerned station jurisdiction. He was later posted as the SHO of Malviya Nagar police station in 2012.
“After becoming SHO, he first cracked the case of robbery with a French National and had arrested all the accused persons. He had solved several cheating and auto-lifting cases. In the meantime, he had taken action against several foreign nationals, who did not possess proper documents and were residing illegally in Malviya Nagar area,” police officer said. Few months ago, he again started some new initiatives for women and started according training to local women in the premises of Malviya Nagar police station.
However, Inspector Pal has now been asked to go on leave after he refused to raid an alleged drugs and prostitution den on the orders of Delhi law Minister Somnath Bharti. Sources said that as per law, police cannot arrest a woman after 6 pm and if it is necessary, so he will have to first take orders from concerned court orders of arrest.
All India Progressive women association, centre for women’s development Studies as well as other others like Act Now for Harmony and democracy, People’s union for civil liberties have written an open letter to Delhi CM asking him to take prompt action against Barti.
“Pal became a rare exception who acted to protect African women whose safety was criminally compromised. We also know how hard it is to ensure that police act in accordance with law and Constitutional values rather than public or political sentiment, especially in matters involving women and vulnerable social groups. It is, therefore, a great disservice to women’s rights to penalise police officers who refuse to act in accordance with inflated prejudices of the public or political leaders. And it is even more dangerous to allow private individuals or even ministers to take the law into their own hands and subject already vulnerable sections like women to further harassment. This was also a clear case of racial profiling against foreign citizens,” the letter stated.
Meanwhile, the other officer who has been asked to go on leave is Sub-Inspector Ramji lal, police control room (PCR) in-charge of Paharganj (sub-division), where a 51-year-old Danish woman was gang-raped earlier in the week. “Three months ago, first time he was transferred from police station to PCR. He is set to retire in three years. He is expert in technical surveillances investigation but he came in PCR to learn some new experiences before his retirement,” the officer added.