PANJIM: The posting of controversially-promoted police inspectors (PI) in 11 out of 24 police stations across Goa has raised uncomfortable questions on the backdrop of veterans in corner postings.
A batch of 31 PSIs was recruited in 2002 when the BJP was in power under Manohar Parrikar. Out of 31 PSIs, five were promoted in 2011, whereas 21 were promoted after the BJP came to power in 2012. Only three PSIs who were facing serious corruption charges were kept back.
The promoted PIs now head important police stations across Goa. PI Shailesh Narvekar is at Verna police station, Tushar Lotlikar at Pernem police station, Pravin Powar at Agassaim police station, Brendon D’Souza at Porvorim police station, Pravin Gawas at Quepem police station, Ravindra Desai at Curchorem police station, Sanjay Dalvi at Valpoi police station, Kapil Nayak at Harbour police station, Paresh Naik at Anjuna police station, Krishna Sinari at Old Goa police station, Datta Guru Sawant posted at PI Konkan Railway and three others in the Crime Branch.
Out of 31 PSIs, two were dismissed from service. A few were suspended on corruption charges some years ago, but were later reinstated. The entire batch of PIs is in a controversy after the High Court of Bombay at Goa set aside the whole recruitment process, done by the BJP government, in 2004 after smelling political interference in the process.
The state subsequently appealed the matter in the Supreme Court, which then stayed the High Court order. The case has been fixed for final arguments.
The entire recruitment process was challenged by Tanveer Khatib, who was disqualified from the post of PSI.
In 2005, the state government had referred the matter to Goa’s Law Department to study the implication of the High Court order and the government’s chances of winning the appeal in the Supreme Court. Following a negative report from the law department, the government in 2006 withdrew the appeal. The PSIs later took over the case, and are now slugging it out with Khatib.
Khatib alleged that the government posted the same officers at various police stations as they could be easily influenced for political gains.
Although the matter is pending in the Supreme Court, and despite the High Court setting aside the entire PSI selection process, the state government – then Congress – in 2011 promoted five PSIs to police inspectors. Another six were promoted after the BJP came to power in 2012.
