GLENN COSTA
PANJIM: In this age where all parties are trumpeting their transparency and propriety in politics, some who have been chargesheeted by the police for rape, extortion and trespass have been selected as police sub inspectors in the government’s latest recruitment drive. The PSIs ~ all 105 of them have been selected, offer letter given and have been sent for training.
This has been admitted by the director general of police office in a written statement, a copy of which has been accessed by Herald.
On being asked whether any of the selected candidates for police sub inspectors in the Goa Police were chargesheeted by the Goa Police for rape, extortion and trespass, the answer has been given: “As per the information furnished by the head clerk, administrative branch, DGP’s office, Panaji Goa. Yes.”
Out of the 105 posts, 21 posts were reserved for the OBC category, 12 posts were reserved for the ST category, 2 posts were reserved for the SC category and 3 posts were reserved for ex-servicemen.
Even as the minutes show, there was no discussion on this point and as per the existing recruitment rules notified by the government, the composition of the departmental selection committee for the post of sub inspector includes the director general of police/inspector general or deputy inspector general of police as chairman, senior most superintendent of police as member and under secretary/joint secretary, home as member.
However, government officials say that they were considered as they have been discharged in cognizable offences though admit that they were not aware of non cognizable offences.
In this case as IGP and DIG were not present, the committee included Brahm Singh IPS, SP (CID/special branch) as chairman and SP A V Deshpande and Neetal Amonkar as members.
Surprisingly, as per the information
furnished by the DGP’s office there are no marks for physical efficiency test, as it is “just a qualifying test.”
Even though this government had come to power based on its promises of clean politics and corruption and promises to reform the police according to the admission of the chief minister who is the Home minister himself, the average of robberies in the past couple of years is the same ~ including the year where he is at the helm of the government and the other years that were headed by the home minister who was called inefficient and corrupt by the present government.
The crime situation in the State is still unchanged. This government was voted to power with high expectations and because of the anger against the previous government for its poor law and order record and lack of transparency.
“The Home minister has failed miserably in discharging his duties. I have decided to move the High Court with the petition to cancel the recruitment of the PSIs which was held two months back,” the RTI applicant Durgadas Kamat told media, adding that criminalization of the Police department will set a dangerous trend for the state of Goa.
He pointed out that the Home minister when he was the opposition leader used to make a huge hue and cry over functioning of the Home department and alleged that now his own ministry has started recruiting criminals to safe guard the State.
“I have decided to petition the governor also on this matter as the custodian of the State to bring to his notice the deeds and grave misconduct of this government,” he said.
