Mumbai Police's former top cop and Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Julio Ribeiro recently expressed his concerns over the Sushant Singh Rajput (SSR) death case, which was registered by the Bihar Police. “If Bihar Police can register an FIR of a case in Mumbai, then why shouldn’t someone from Maharashtra register an FIR in the Delhi riots case?" asked Ribeiro in a web seminar organised on the rise of the police state and the role of judiciary.
The seminar was organised by lawyer Abha Singh's foundation Rannsamar and by advocate Aditya Pratap Singh. When Abha asked, “Do you think the FIR in Sushant Singh Rajput’s case should have been registered?” Ribeiro replied that the FIR should have been transferred.
Regarding the Narcotics Control Bureau’s (NCB) recent actions of summoning celebrities on the basis of WhatsApp chats, Ribeiro said that it should go after drug suppliers rather than those who consume drugs, as drug consumers need counselling and medical help, whereas drug suppliers are the people who need to be behind bars.
“But now, since politicians have the bigger say, they are going after celebrities. The officers are their pawns who are posted at certain places, because either they bring money or the political crowd. It is a dangerous trend that we haven’t been able to control. And the power over the police comes with the instrument of the power to transfer and appoint,” said Ribeiro.
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