How much lower can the Parsekar government fall in trying to protect a senior police officer who has, according to evidence at hand, committed grave irregularities and misused his office for what clearly appears to be for attempted personal gratification?
On one hand Herald is coming up with more evidence and documents on a daily basis to prove without any doubt that the Principal of the Police Training School in Valpoi, Atmaram Deshpande had prima facie committed grave and severe illegalities in awarding contracts of electrical wiring of the Police Training School, verbally without state government sanction or procedure. On the other hand, the Goa police which began its project of covering up Deshpande’s activities under informal but firm political instructions from his high profile VIP political godfather in the BJP (who now holds one of the highest government offices in the country) is manipulating and hiding key documents, Herald has, which will completely expose Deshpande.
As we have reported in today’s edition, the foremost piece of evidence against Deshpande, the letter of the electrical contractor, to him and the DGP stating how the work was given to him verbally with assurances for payment, has been manipulated and paragraphs removed, after the inquiry was ordered. The deleted paragraphs detailed a grave purported illegal act by the PTS principal Deshpande, who apparently took out cash from the advance deposits of police recruits to pay an “advance” for the work since he was in no position to get sanction for it legally. Police insiders state that he had plans to get the government clear this amount later, somehow. Herald’s exposes have stymied those plans.
We further exposed how PSI Maralkar who had laid bare the goings on in the Police Training School under the tutelage of A V Deshpande, has been kept under a tight leash by his superiors. His important deposition before the DIG where he confirms the Rs 5 lakhs illegal transaction between the PTS and the contractor, has been kept out of the DIG’s report which virtually clears Deshpande. This is shameful.
Herald challenges the government, Deshpande himself and his protector Bosco George to try and wriggle out of this. This won’t be easy. Herald will fight in the face of the governments power games, subtle threats and pathetic manipulations to save Deshpande. It has no personal axe to grind against Deshpande or Bosco George. It could have been anybody posted as Principal of the Police Training School. Herald is going after the Principal of the Police Training School, who still happens to be in his chair inspite of clear evidence of his wrong doings. Herald is in this for no gain, save exposing how an entire system is going all out to protect an IPS officer who has clearly committed illegal acts on duty. Herald is in this to tell you that three years and four months after Manohar Parrikar made him Panjim gymkhana ground opening speech on being sworn in that “there will be zero tolerance to corruption”, the BJP government, now under a different leadership, is breaking that promise with disdain and impunity. And Herald charges Mr Parrikar of taking personal interest in protecting Atmaram Deshpande because the officer in this capacity as the head of the local intelligence unit during the 2012 elections had helped the BJP and Parrikar with valuable ground level intelligence.
If the Parsekar government has any self respect and we dare say- shame- A V Deshpande should be placed under suspension and an impartial inquiry ordered which will study all documents and record witness statements honestly, not manipulate documents or hide them under the carpet.
When the SP of ACB calls Herald’s unearthing of facts as propaganda, he exposes the desperation that has befallen him and his superiors in the wake of cold hard facts which stare at all. Just merely saying that there is no evidence or basis to all allegations against Deshpande will not do. We want answers to every shred of evidence we have produced and facts we have placed. We ask Mr George to come on a public debate and argue his case against ours.
Above all the police force and the government should know that they are dealing with a people’s paper which is ruthless in protecting innocent citizens and equally ruthless in going after those who play with our trust and our money.
