A low in police-politician collusive corruption

Ex-Director, National Police Academy

The Mumbai police finds itself in the eye of a storm. The Commissioner of Police, Param Bir Singh, has been unceremoniously shunted out by the state government following the Mukesh Ambani bomb scare case and posted in an innocuous assignment as DGP in charge of Home Guards. He, in turn, has dropped a bombshell by writing a letter to the Chief Minister, making a string of allegations against the state Home Minister Anil Deshmukh.

These murky developments follow the arrest of Sachin Vaze, an assistant inspector of police, by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Vaze is the prima donna in the case where a Scorpio with 20 gelatin sticks was found parked outside the residence of industrialist Mukesh Ambani. To cap it, the investigation of the case was entrusted to Vaze and his team.

Vaze is a well-known but notorious officer of the Mumbai police with a chequered background. He was lauded by his seniors as a tough, no-nonsense officer and an encounter specialist, who reportedly has over 60 kills under his belt.

He and his mentor inspector Pradeep Sharma, another encounter specialist, were aligned with the Shiv Sena. Vaze was suspended for his questionable role in a case of custodial death. He resigned from service and joined the Shiv Sena. With its support, he set up investigative agencies to help banks and corporate houses 0recover their dues and loans.

However, because of political influence, he was reinstated. This was an egregious blunder. The former Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis, claims that quite a few influential people, including the present CM Uddhav Thackeray, interceded for Vaze’s reinstatement.

Under the present dispensation, Vaze became the blue-eyed boy of the Mumbai police. Though quite junior in rank, he was exercising untrammelled authority and virtually lording over the Mumbai police. He held the ear of the Commissioner of Police, Param Bir Singh, who was in awe of him. Many other officers, senior to Vaze, were envious of his authority and position and were sulking. He had become an extortionist, allegedly collecting money for himself and his political masters. The letter bomb of Param Bir Singh narrates how the Home Minister was using Vaze as a collection agent.

Due to the public outcry and clamour in the press, the NIA took up the investigation of the bomb scare case and the murder of businessman Mansukh Hiran, who was reportedly in close touch with Vaze. Gradually, the plot began to unravel. Vaze was arrested for his suspicious role in the case and Param Bir Singh unceremoniously transferred because of his alleged nexus with Sachin. His letter to the CM levelling serious allegations against the Home Minister further muddied the water. The image of the Mumbai police was seriously dented. This is unfortunate.

Admittedly, the Mumbai police is a well-run and well-officered force, enjoying public acclaim and confidence for its professional competence. It has been led by stalwarts like VG Kanetkar, Julio Ribeiro and Arvind Inamdar, who were positive, bold and upright.

However, constant political interference in police work, misuse of the police for partisan political ends and willingness of some commissioners to play ball in the last two decades have taken a toll. Now, even senior police officers are close to different political groups and an “entente cordiale” has grown between them and the political masters. No doubt, there are some upright and conscientious officers, but they are sidelined.

However, corruption in the police is prevalent in all states and has become well entrenched and well spread. When I joined the police service in the early sixties and was posted in Orissa, the number of IAS and IPS officers of questionable integrity could be counted on the fingers, but the situation now is just the opposite. This is ominous because police corruption has a systemic character to it. Once it starts, it rapidly spreads throughout the organisation. It also has a preemptive quality. It curtails senior officers’ capacity to effectively control the subordinates and deal with problems bedevilling the organisation.

Evidently, during the last two decades, the situation has undergone a sinister transformation and political interference has become more pronounced. Nowadays, the head of the police force has very little say in the transfers and postings of officers in sensitive posts. They are decided by the political bosses. According to one estimate, in 80 per cent of the 12,000 police stations in the country, the superintendents of police have very little say in this regard. Blatant use of unscrupulous police officers for collection of money by the political bosses marks the lowest watermark of the police-politician collusive corruption.

Currently, the NIA has taken up investigation of the Ambani case and the murder of businessman Mansukh Hiran, wherein the involvement of Vaze is suspected. Hope it will make a thorough investigation of the case and expose the motivations and ramifications and unmask the malefactors.

The honour of the Mumbai police will be somewhat redeemed if the guilty are unmasked and punished and speedy steps are taken to set things right. But for this, suspension and prosecution of Vaze and transfer of the Commissioner of Police alone are not enough, more positive and systemic measures have to be taken to stem the rot.

The crying need of the hour is to depoliticise the police and insulate it from extraneous pulls and pressures, which were recommended by the National Police Commission and re-emphasised in the directives of the Supreme Court in Prakash Singh’s case. One of the court’s directives to the state governments was to set up state security commissions to ensure that governments function as per the rules, laws and procedures. Unfortunately, the governments have not carried out the directives and, instead, adopted various steps to scuttle them. The apex court also has not forced the issue.

The police continue to function as the ruling party’s police. The late Indrajit Gupta, as Home Minister, wrote to all CMs highlighting the need for police reforms for qualitative improvements in crime control and law and order situation in the country. Predictably, there was no reply from any CM.

The Ambani bomb scare case also underscores the danger that encounter experts like Vaze pose for the police organisation and the society. Because of the malfunctioning of the criminal justice system, their shortcut methods to get rid of dreaded criminals and terrorists get public approval. They are lauded by the public and lionised by politicians.

Display of cowardice by senior officers in dealing firmly with errant subordinates like Sachin Vaze is a matter of disgrace. These “encounter specialists”, who have amassed disproportionate assets, are nothing short of criminals in uniform. They should be weeded out and senior police officers must draw a lesson.