30 April,2015 09:10 AM IST | | Saurabh Vaktania
The task of drawing up the list of corrupt police officials, has been given to the Special Service Branch; most were transferred there as a punishment because they have graft charges against them
Corruption in the Mumbai police force
Black sheep in the Mumbai police department have been asked to prepare a list of black sheep in the Mumbai police department. Yes, you read that right.
Maria said the tainted cops and others will be trained in the nuances of policing, especially in how to deal with female complainants. File pic
In the wake of the alleged rape of the 29-year-old model by policemen and the arrest of meow meow constable Dharmaraj Kalokhe, Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria had announced earlier this week that a list of black sheep in the department corrupt officers, underperformers, alcoholics, womanisers and those that are unfit, among others would be prepared by May.
He had said that the cops would be taken to task and strict action would be taken against all of them. The task of drawing up the list has, however, been given to the Special Branch of the Mumbai police, which is seen as a branch for punishment postings, with most its staff having some departmental inquiry or the other pending against them.
The Crime Branch, additional commissioners of police and deputy commissioners of police will draw up the list with the Special Branch. The Special Branch, which was formed with the motive of gathering intelligence, has ended up doing only paper work since the last several years.
There is no scope for policemen to make people bribe them for work in this department and, thus, no one wanted to be posted there. This prompted senior police officers to begin posting tainted cops to the branch, leading to it getting the tag of a punishment posting.
Strong network
Defending the choice of the Special Branch to draw up the list, a senior officer from the commissioner's office said, "The branch has a strong network and stays in touch with local police stations since its task is to gather local intelligence.
The officers from the branch, who work with the local police stations, are usually aware of what goes on inside and outside the police stations. The commissioner intends to milk this information for the benefit of the force." He added that the Crime Branch and additional and deputy commissioners of police would help the Special Branch in drawing up the list.
Speaking to the media yesterday, Maria said, "The tainted officers will be transferred with immediate effect to the Local Arms Division, where they will be trained in the nuances of policing, especially on how to behave in general and with female complainants.
We have also formed training centres in Azad Maidan for this. All the officers who attend to complainants will be compulsorily asked to undergo a two-day training in these centres by May end. The training will be imparted by retired policemen and legal experts."
