Mumbai: Officials of various government departments, including the police, often hog the headline for all the wrong reasons, either for their alleged involvement in corruption or their inaction.
Most of the time, police officers face criticism from all quarters, including public, politicians and their own superiors or coworkers for ill-behaviour.
In view of criticism and rising bribery incidents, the Mumbai Police commissioner ordered a crackdown on corrupt and inactive policeman, and scores of tainted senior cops have been at the receiving end for lackadaisical attitude.
Further, the Mumbai unit of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) cracked a whip and over eight senior inspectors have been suspended when caught red-handed taking a bribe.
Notably, the department’s anti-corruption drive was started by the then commissioner of police (CP), Subodh Kumar Jaiswal (in pic), who is now the Director General of Police (DGP), after a series of traps laid by ACB caught tainted seniors accepting bribes.
The special drive that was spearheaded by Jaiswal, led to the transfers or suspensions of more than 21 policemen. This drive was later continued by the current CP Sanjay Barve, who said temptation to earn extra bucks is high, but one should be smart enough to refrain from such temptations.
CP Barve opined the cops, who indulge in bribery or show proclivity towards corrupt practices, are posted at places where they do not have public interface. Once the authority is gone, the opportunity is gone.
Simply put, in the special clean-up drive, all the tainted and arrogant officers are transferred to the regional/divisional control room. Considered a punishment posting, it is mostly desk work with little action and fewer opportunities for bribes.
On August 19, a senior inspector of the Andheri police station and a constable were suspended after a sting operation caught them showing “indisciplined behaviour” towards the owner of a ladies bar in Andheri, suggestive of demanding kickbacks
The sting video reached the additional commissioner of police (western region) Manoj Sharma. He forwarded it to CP Barve, who ensured action against the rogue cops.
Recently, additional commissioner of police (north region) Dilip Sawant ordered a special team to initiate a crackdown on illegal bar in the city. The drive led to suspension of more than five senior officials and at least 10 of their subordinates.
As part of the drive on police inaction on illegal bars due to apathetic cops, four personnel from the Kasturba Marg police station in Borivli (East) were suspended for allegedly failing to act against five dance bars, which flouted the guidelines.
The suspension order of the four personnel — senior inspector Sanjeev Pimple, inspector Abantrao Hake, sub-inspector Chetak Gange and head constable Shivaji Chakne came directly from additional CP Sawant.
