POLITICS OF IPS POSTINGS

by Vaidehi Sachin

AN ROY

The highest office for policemen in the state was that of the Inspector General of Police (IGP). The first Indian IGP was Kamte , the grandfather of the late Ashok Kamte , the martyr of the 26/11 terror attack and posthumous winner of the Ashoka Chakra.
For reasons best known to the powers that be, the post of a Director General of Police (DGP) was created. Speculation is rife that that the criteria is sometimes more political, than for reasons of seniority and merit, as recent development have proved.
The first DGP was Krishnarao Medhekar . is son is an IPS officer. Rajan Medhlekar in the Kerala cadre, who was instrumental in hosting a Police Museum dedicated to 20,000 martyr of the national police force.

BHUJBAL‘S FAVOURITE


The office has subsequently been graced by some dynamic and esteemed incumbents like S Ramamurthy, who was also the Commissioner Of Police (CP) of Mumbai, V K Saraf ; Arvind Imandar and others. Mumbai Commissioners elevated to the office also include Shubhash Malhotra , who ws unceremoniously transferred out of CP ‘s office after the daylight killing of real estate tycoon. Natwarbhai Desai opposite Mantrayala on 20 May, 1997. He however rose to the top rank of DGP at the initiative of the Detupy Chief Minister Chaggan Bhujbal . This was despite the fact that Malhotra was in Mumbai CP at the time of attack on the residence of Bhujbal by Shiv Sena activists when he was opposition leader.
Dr P.S. Pasricha is another CP Mumbai who was unceremoniously removed from office, about which he even made public comments about his removal. He still rose to the office of DGP again; it was Bhujbal who took the generous decision. It was the first time that names of some tainted officers came up for consideration to be appointed to the office of the DGP. R R Patil decided to arbitrarily allow A N Roy to supersede three senior officers. This is different from the shifting of Arvind Inamdar fron the office of DGP to the office equivalent in the training college; by then Dy. CM Bhujbal. Inamdar resigned. Bhujbal had also taken one other unique decision; that of dividing the Anti Corruption Bureau into the city and rural to ease out Ronnie Mendoca who had just trapped then Addl.CP Ajaykumar Jain. 3Iyyengar was brought in as DG ACB- City areas and Mendoca was given charge of Rural. However, there never was any scope for any officer to challenge the decision.


SHAME AND DISGRACE

S S VIRK

This time, the shame and disgrace was brought by R R Patil, who gave one line statement to justify his decision that he was appointing A N Roy for maintaining law and order. Its needs to be understood by ministers that the discretion is to be used intelegently and not moronically. Vilasrao Deshmukh , while appointing Johnny Joseph as the CS of the State had surpassed seven female bureaucrats out of which three were senior to Joseph and around equal number of his male colleagues were not considered for the post. Then CM had given a detailed assessment report why he was doing so. Then R R. Patil decision has opened floodstages for the judiciary to now assess each and every such desicision that is petitioned before them. S.S. Virk, known for his dynamism and popularity in the force, had a chance to be DGP of the State at the time Pasricha was appointed, but Virk’s friend, Capt. Amrinder Singh , was then CM of Punjab, and so he continued there.
Virk was DCP of Pune when Ranga Raja was the CP of Pune and the two were at loggerheads. A controversy broke when constables of the special branch were used for spying on each other; Virk was suspended and Ranga Raju was transferred. Virk then returned to Punjab and rose to heights in terms of hierarchy, as well as popularity.

TRANSPRACY AND RIGHT APPROACH


Suprakash Chakravaty, ex-servicemen, is again very popular among the forces. He is known for giving sweet surprises. One such was when he was Thane CP. He convened a meeting of the all the senior officers of the district and called a writer constable from the Ramnagar Police Station for the meeting. Without any one’s knowledge he called the constable to the dais to felicitated him for sincerity and dedication and told the audience to follow his example.
The orderly rooms of Chakravarty were a great relief for the staff. The constables seeking transfers for reasons of convenience were shown a map of the district and the chart of availability and were accordingly given postings. Such transparency and affectionate approach was not shown by any CP in Thane district until then. One CP who went on to endear himself to his colleagues as well as the population of Thane was affectionate and ever smiling. D Shivanandan. His concern for the policemen down the line translated into real action and health and counseling clinics for were set up for the first time for the ordinary constable. The population of Thane as well as Mumbai was glad to have an officer who finally had drastically reduced the crime rate. Weather Virk or Chakravarty, the force has all reasons to get delighted as the woes of the lower cadres will soon be over.
The High Court order setting aside the appointment of AN Roy, can be viewed as a welcome precedent to prevent any politically influenced arbitrary appointments in future. This will also increase the level of confidence in the police force that could well do without outside interference