Delhiites can now breathe easy as they have been saved from paying hefty bribes to Delhi Police personnel for carrying out unauthorised constructions.
In a significant order issued on Friday by Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi, all Station House Officers (SHOs) and those posted in police stations have been barred from stopping any unauthorised constructions across the city.SHOs can at best inform the municipal authority concerned about any unauthorised construction in consonance with the Delhi Municipal Corporation (DMC) Act, 1957.
The move to prevent police personnel from visiting construction sites was taken after Delhi Police top brass came to know that local police personnel were involved in extorting money by threatening to stop illegal construction.“Unwanted police action in the name of preventing unauthorised construction was bringing a bad name to the force. There were many complaints in this regard and it was felt that there was no place for police interference on construction sites,” Bassi said.
“On earlier occasions too, Delhi Police chiefs have issued orders in this regard but the same were being flouted with impunity. Hence, it has been decided that lower and upper subordinate police personnel posted in police stations will not visit construction sites. Delhi Police was getting a bad name and the same cannot be allowed to go on,” Bassi added.
The order issued by Sunil Gautam, Joint Commissioner of Police, Head Quarter on behalf of the Delhi Police Commissioner said: “There is no inherent authority with police officials to stop any unauthorised construction.” The SHO will come into the picture only when there is an official communiqué from the municipal authorities on specific unauthorised construction.
It further stated: “While interacting with RWAs, market associations and at other public forums, district police officers should help create public awareness about the actual role of the police in this matter and convey to the public that they should record any demand for bribe by any police official in lieu of allowing unauthorized construction or stopping the same and send the clip audio/visual recording to mobile No. 9910641064 or inform the vigilance anti-corruption helpline No.1064”.
The order has also outlined the role and duties of Delhi Police vis-à-vis unauthorised constructions. “The SHO shall only inform the municipal authority concerned about unauthorised construction as per Section 475 of the DMC Act. There is no inherent authority with police officials to stop any unauthorised construction. The SHO shall act only on the receipt of orders under Section 344(2) of the DMC Act from the competent officer of the municipal authority regarding stoppage of construction, removal of construction workers and seizure of construction material including tools, machinery etc.”
The police chief said that the SHO shall be held responsible as it was his/her job to inform the municipal authority concerned as per the circular issued by the Delhi Police Headquarters. The SHO is also responsible for ensuring that no police officer under him misuses or misrepresents this authority for ulterior motives.
Additional Police Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners of Police posted in districts have been asked to brief their staff about the orders. Any dereliction on the part of the SHOs in this regard will be viewed very seriously and punitive action will follow, Bassi added.