SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 2024
Team Herald
PANJIM: In a startling revelation, the office of Director General of Police (DGP) in a response to a Right to Information (RTI) application by a lawyer has informed that of the 17 sanctioned posts of Superintendents of Police (SP), as many as nine are currently vacant.
The office of Director General of Police (DGP) has furnished the information to Adv Aires Rodrigues under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
In response to the RTI application filed on July 8, 2022, the DGP’s office has also informed Adv Rodrigues about the additional charges held by some of the current SPs. As per the information furnished to him of the current eight SPs, seven of them hold multiple charges.
While SP (Crime) Nidhin Valsan is holding additional charge of Anti-Narcotics Cell, Special Branch, Economic Offences Cell besides the now set up Special Investigation Team (SIT) into land grabbing, the North Goa SP Shobit Saxena is holding fort of the Anti-Terrorist Squad, Women’s Police and also supervising the SIT appointed into the mining scam.
SP (Security) Bosco George is also Commandant of the three battalions besides heading the FRRO and the SPCR (Control room) while also liasoning in the office of the DGP and the IGP.
The RTI information further revealed that SP (Headquarters) Shekhar Prabhudessai is also the Deputy Commandant Home Guards and Civil Defence besides looking after Traffic and Sports as its SP while SP Bossuet Silva besides being SP Headquarters (II) is also SP Legal and Vigilance (Election Cell) besides, Motor Transport Section and SP of State Crimes Record Bureau too. SP (Coastal) Sammy Tavares is now also in-charge as SP of Konkan Railway and Police Training School (PTS) at Valpoi.
The readers may recall that Herald dated July 26, 2022 had published a report under heading ‘Government to fill nine posts of Superintendent of Police’ and that the government had already sent a proposal to Goa Public Service Commission (GPSC) seeking concurrence in relaxation in experience for promotion of nine DySPs to the rank of SPs.
The DySPs under consideration are falling short by two years of experience and the government had relaxed this requirement and sought concurrence of the GPSC, who is examining it.
Meanwhile, Adv Rodrigues said overburdening of police officers with multiple charges must stop and it is taking a toll on their health and overall performance.
