‘Criminal’ cops go scot free

‘Criminal’ cops go scot free
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Highlights

Though there is no comprehensive official statistics available, the list of criminal cases committed by the men in uniform is growing by the day, according to official sources.

  • Complaints against cops often go unsubstantiated
  • Around 85 per cent of complaints dismissed at the preliminary level
  • Maximum punishment for tainted cops is suspension from work for a couple of months

Hyderabad: Though there is no comprehensive official statistics available, the list of criminal cases committed by the men in uniform is growing by the day, according to official sources. They are arrested only to be let off on bail or after the charges were left unsubstantiated. The maximum punishment is suspension from work for a couple of months.

Sources in the police department say the way complaints and internal departmental probes are dealt with is appalling. A complaint against a cop is usually probed by his next senior or higher-up who usually pardons errant cops in an in-house exercise. Around 85 per cent complaints have been termed false at the preliminary level, according to sources.

“It is ironical to see a policeman dealing with a complaint against another policeman. There should be a police complaint authority for the purpose so that tainted cops could be punished accordingly. The State never tries to address the issue, despite this being raised at several platforms, including court,” said a source on condition of anonymity.

While in many cases cops have misused their position and power for unlawful purposes.

Last Thursday, circle inspector of Abids police station, TS Uma Maheshwar has been placed under suspension for alleged misbehaviour with a woman police constable. Following the incident, the victim lodged a complaint. Senior officers probing the case said he would have to face a departmental inquiry as part of the disciplinary proceedings.

Similarly, police inspector Pandiri Varaprasad, working as CCS wing inspector in Gudivada division in AP was caught on Wednesday while watching pornographic videos on his mobile phone at Kanakadurga Temple. Following which the AP DGP JV Ramudu suspended the inspector. In both the cases, no criminal action was taken against the cop apart from suspension.

The list goes on where the protectors acting as predators. In February last year, a police sub-inspector in Cyberabad Commissionerate was suspended on charge of sexually harassing a married woman who had later gone missing. In August last year, Charminar police arrested Satyanarayan Goud, a police constable for allegedly molesting a Marwadi woman in Jhansi Bazaar.

Despite several attempts to contact Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order), Anjani Kumar, the officer was not available for comment.

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