10/01/2010

Verdicts to Policemen

On 4th Jan there were many news reports about Police department and its higher officials, details of which were there in 5th Jan Newspapers. 1). Central government decided to take the police medal of best performance from former DGP of Haryana S.P.SRathur. Rathur was found guilty of abusing a sixteen year old girl named Ruchika sixteen years ago. Ruchika committed suicide. Government also decided to make such a rule as in future if any police man found guilty in any case, his award be invalid by itself. 2) After this decision possibility of loosing the medal by one more IPS officer’s is there as well, who was suspended after being found guilty in Shivani Bhatnagar’s murder. The same can happen with K.P.S Gill , former DGP of Punjab. Gill was found guilty of misbehaving with a lady IAS officer in a function. 3) Punjab and Haryana high court gave the ruling that including higher police officials all those higher officials and individuals , against whom there are cases registered, be tried in fast track courts. Court called the Ruchika case a best example of “delay in justice is injustice.” 4) Additional session judge of Sonbhadr district of UP gave the verdict against those 14 policemen who were accused of killing two youngmen in a fake encounter. Among them five were sentenced to life in prison and nine were declared guilty.

Reminding one event
This is not any new image of Indian police. These news reports just reminded its character. Because of this reminder a recent incident is been recalled. On 19th sep 2008 in south Delhi Batla house colony, Delhi police did encounter of two young men. In the incident one police Inspector too died. Human Rights groups were raising questions over this encounter. Delhi high court asked the National human rights commission to enquire the incident and present a report. Commission prepared a report which was the copy of the story told by police. Delhi high court observed the report and declared it right. Report was challenged in Supreme court, but Supreme court too confirmed the report. There was nothing special till here. The special was the mention which supreme court bench did expressing its opinion over the report. Bench had said: “Criticism on the role of police is incorrect in batla house matter. No questions should be raised over police character. Police morale will be lowered by this.” Details which came in media about the supreme court ruling , make it obvious that it is more concerned of the morale of police. Petitioner failed to present the seriousness of the actual matter to the court.

This is an obvious double standard
But the recent news reports show that the citizen’s esteem and regard and life and possessions are more important. Here there is no concern of the morale of police. Concern is to correct policemen by punishing them. In Mumbai three police officials are suspended for attending and enjoying a mafia don’s treat. In few other cases police is being held tough. This double standard over the role of the police can obviously be noted. That is in common law and order matters police is really accountable. Any legal action can be taken against police. No matter even if the morale of the police be lowered, but in the name of combating “terrorism” whatever the police do, do anyone’s encounter, arrest anyone and put in jail, ruin any family’s esteem and regard, cause decharecterization of any community, nothing can be said to them. Police force becomes the “holy cow” in this case. Raising voice against its role is making its morale low, moreover it is against the “patriotism”. And irony is that this injustice is considered the “rashtrawad”. Is not any group there which can tell the political authorities that this behaviour is not at all in favour of the country, apparently it can take the country towards the failure.
10/01/10 khabar-O-Nazar by Parwaaz Rahmani, sehrozaDAWAT, translated by: Ibrahim Shaikh

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