Delhi Police Commissioner Alok Verma’s directive to officers to seek prior approval in writing before flying to other cities to nab terrorists and criminals has reportedly not gone down well with the rank and file of the force which fears that it will hamper investigations in a large number of cases.
On the directions of Verma, Special Commissioner AK Singh, heading General Administration department, has recently issued a circular stating that the officials have to first seek approval in writing to fly outside the city to track terrorists and criminals.
The circular said, “It has been observed that non entitled police officers frequently travel by air without obtaining prior approval or permission of the competent authority and subsequently their cases are being referred to Police Headquarters for obtaining ex-post-facto permission and submission of head of department that is Commissioner of Police.”
Singh also warned the officers that if any one flies outside Delhi without seeking prior approval of the competent authority, such acts would not be accepted at any cost. “Henceforth, no case for ex-post-facto permission or sanction for performance of extra jurisdictional journey by Air will be entertained in Police Headquarter,” it added.
Singh said that in emergent cases, necessary prior approval and permission for air journey may be obtained from the concerned Special Commissioner of Police and thereafter same may be sent to Police Headquarters.
The circular has irked many police officers deployed with the Special Cell and Crime Branch, who frequently fly outside Delhi to track terrorists and criminals in other States. The police have reportedly issued more than 1,000 lookout notices for absconding terrorists and criminals.
A senior officer said whenever the force gets any tip-off about any criminal activity it is immediately brought to the notice of either Assistant Commissioner of Police or Deputy Commissioner of Police for future course of action.
Now, with new directive in place, the investigating officers’ will be bound to first seek written approval from their immediate seniors — Assistant Commissioner of Police, thereafter from Deputy Commissioner of Police, then Joint Commissioner of Police and finally from the Special Commissioner of Police. “We will have to make a file and knock the doors of the senior officers to get prior approval. If one is lucky enough then it will take 24 hours to get the approval or else 48 hours,” said a police officer, who himself has cracked several terror modules, told The Pioneer.
Several investigating officers stated that they take flight for “official work and not for personal purpose”. “In urgent matters, we take flight to catch criminals and terrorists or else we don’t do so. If we reach late, criminals get ample time to flee from their hideouts”.