DGP expresses displeasure over lethargic attitude of SP
The Hindu
Sylendra Babu circulates memorandum to all SPs, Commissioners and Inspector Generals of Police, without naming the officer, says his inaction has brought serious embarrassment to the Police Department
The Director General of Police (DGP), C. Sylendra Babu, has expressed his displeasure over the lethargic attitude of a Superintendent of Police (SP) of a district in Tamil Nadu.
In a memorandum circulated to all SPs, Commissioners and Inspector Generals of Police, the DGP, without naming the SP of the district concerned, said a newly-married woman was recently abducted and her husband from another community, was assaulted. Even though a complaint was lodged at the jurisdictional police station, the inspector did not take any action.
Mr. Babu said the Deputy Superintendent of Police of the district had sought the permission of the Superintendent of Police (SP) thrice, to register a case, but permission was granted only after the video of the abduction was widely shared in the media.
“Such a lethargic and callous attitude of this Superintendent of Police (SP) is viewed with displeasure. His inaction over a sensitive issue brought serious embarrassment to the Police Department”, said Mr. Babu.
The DGP, therefore instructed all unit officers to be sensitive in matters of serious incidents in their limits and take immediate suitable action.
The permission of SPs is not at all necessary to register an FIR in a kidnapping incident. The SP should never be a bottleneck or hurdle for setting criminal law in motion in his district in any complaint of cognisable offence, the DGP warned.
“We are judges and therefore, cannot act like Mughals of a bygone era ... the writ courts in the guise of doing justice cannot transcend the barriers of law,” the High Court of Karnataka observed while setting aside an order of a single judge, who in 2016 had extended the lease of a public premises allotted to a physically challenged person to 20 years contrary to 12-year period stipulated in the law.