It doesn’t depart from the routine, has a fixed template and is correct to the T. And the last line of every transfer order states that it is in “public interest”.
The definition of public interest, however, has narrowed down to the interest of those who rule the public. The manner in which the SP of the Anti Corruption Bureau, Bosco George, was removed, for leading his team and backing his officers who were investigating the bribery case of the Chief Minister’s brother in law Ghanshyam Malvankar (For the full details of this case, read our lead story on Page 1), shows how “public interest” is nothing but political interest.
His transfer was preceded by that of his Police Inspector, the Investigating officer of the case against the CM’s brother-in-law, Nolasco Raposo. What got the Chief Minister’s goat is not difficult to figure. Malvankar, a salaried employee in GIDC, had wanted all his valuables (25 lakhs of fixed deposits, other cash, ornaments and valuables) which were seized by the ACB, after he was arrested for accepting a bribe of Rs 1 lakh, to allot a plot of land; to be released. PI Raposo opposed Malvankar’s appeal in court for the valuables, and he was backed by his superior Bosco George. The CM lost no time in directing that marching orders should be given to Raposo. It was then a matter of time Bosco George too went, under the pretext that a waiting IPS officer had to be given charge as SP ACB. The reason why this excuse is shallow will be detailed in the second part of our report tomorrow, but suffice to say that this transfer was nothing but a hatchet job, under the directions of the Chief Minister himself.
There are three serious ramifications of this. Firstly, it officially puts to an end all pretences that this government has a zero tolerance to corruption policy. In fact we have named our series of stories on this subject ‘Zero tolerance to anti-corruption”. Secondly, it’s a major spoke in the wheel for departments undertaking which need the highest level of honesty, integrity and efficiency. Thirdly and perhaps most importantly, the Chief Minister is guilty of personally undermining institutions and by doing so, he is weakening the state itself.
A weakened state with fragile institutions, will turn out to be an albatross around his own neck, pulling him and the state down. But Mr Parsekar needs to understand the fundamentals of institution building and preserving as rudimentary to state and nation building. A politically controlled Vigilance department will be devoid of good officers, handling corruption cases. And since governance is temporary, and governments are not, the weakened system under the control of new political masters, will go after the same Parsekar and his party when it is out of power. It doesn’t take much for an upright officer, scorned and shunted by one dispensation, to come back like a wounded lion in the next political dispensation to wreak vengeance. And who loses? The system.
It is shocking that Chief Minister Parsekar has been so blatant in removing officers who were investigating his brother in law’s corruption case. It just shows that this government pretty much doesn’t care.
This also brings us back to the old debate of police reforms which should be cast in stone and are politician proof. Unless certain government and police departments are officially removed from the control of ruling governments, the battle against corruption can never be won.
