Goa;Irked DGP lashes out at police complaint panel

Irked DGP lashes out at police complaint panel
Preetu Nair | TNN

Panaji: The State Police Complaint Authority (SPCA) is acting beyond its jurisdiction and eroding the very foundations of the criminal justice system through its interference in the day-to-day administrative functioning of and investigations by the police, the director general of police has complained to the chief secretary in a confidential letter.
The letter was sent by DGP B S Brar to the chief secretary on June 9 requesting the state government to take immediate steps to prevent the collapse of the police administration and to maintain the sanctity of the criminal justice system as the conflict between the police and SPCA had reached “grave proportions” due to “constant and vehement interference” by the SPCA.
The SPCA was set up under a directive from the Supreme Court , which while defining the role of SPCA said it was to “take cognisance of only allegations of serious misconduct by police personnel which would include incidents involving deaths, grievous hurt or rape in police custody. The district level complaint authority would, apart from the above cases, also inquire into allegations of extortion, land and house grabbing or any incident involving serious abuse of authority”.
Chief secretary J P Singh admitted receiving the complaint. “The government is examining the matter in consultation with all concerned,” he said.
The DGP said that the criminal justice system consisting of the police, prosecution and the judiciary is being bypassed. “The CrPC has empowered the police and competent courts with various statutory powers which are being unlawfully disregarded. This will lead to the breakdown of the criminal justice system as envisaged under the law, including the CrPC,” he said.
The DGP also complained that the SPCA is admitting all kinds of applications and calling police officers, even of the rank of SP, who are then paraded, humiliated, pressurised in front of frivolous complainants, few of whom have been accused of serious offenses, including murder, or have been booked under the explosives act. “Inquiries conducted by SPCA are now taking the shape of trials where the police officers are treated as accused,” the letter said.
If the SPCA continues to call officers and other policemen in all types of complaints, it will not only erode the moral authority of the body, but also adversely affect the noble and lofty intentions of the SC to bring objectivity in policing, the DGP said.

June 18, 2008, The Times of India, Goa edition