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PANJIM: Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar Tuesday announced suspension and punishment-transfer of two policemen, while speaking on the demands for grants for Police department. He also admitted that there was shortfall of 168 PSIs and 982 constables.
Parrikar told the House at the end of three hour long discussion that police sub inspector Deigo Gracias was suspended and another ‘notorious’ constable driver Deigo Morano was transferred to Police Training School at Valpoi, Tuesday.
He said that the PSI’s suspension was for mishandling a theft case at Fatorda. “He has violated Court orders…he has not only created confusion but also taken orders from four Magistrates to release recovered gold to different parties,” he said.
Fatorda’s Independent MLA Vijai Sardesai had been quite vocal about this cases wherein a Margao-based family’s jewelry worth Rs 2.5 lakh was stolen and police subsequently trying to botch up the case.
On March 1, Margao police registered a case taking cognizance of complaint filed by one Surendra Malkarnekar that his house was burgled of gold ornaments, worth Rs 2.5 lakh. Sardesai said the complaint was revised when his wife Sunita informed the police that stolen jewelry, weighing 295 grams and cost Rs 5-6 lakh. He informed that six accused were apprehended and lodged in Yerwada jail in Pune.
The MLA also alleged that the police, while refusing to hand over the recovered jewelry items to complainants, in turn distributed it to victims of other theft cases, for which Surendra moved the local Court challenging the action of the police.
With regard to constable Morano, legislators including Vishnu Surya Wagh and Carlos Almeida alleged that he terrorizes people and does ‘dadagiri’, to which Parrikar said the best punishment for them is transfer to PTS.
“Those who act mischievous, we have decided to send them to PTS. Let them do rigorous exercise for a month, at least it may reform them. Suspension brings laziness but this punishment will bring alertness among such policemen,” he reasoned.
The legislators had mixed reaction about the working of police department. The MLAs also demanded during a discussion on demands for grants for Police, that women police stations be upgraded and strengthened with staff to deal with crime against women.
“Special women police force should be raised… there are increasing crimes against women. These need to be stopped and for that women force is required,” BJP’s Pramod Sawant demanded and was supported by other MLAs. The demand also included increasing the manpower of the police department.
The chief minister, speaking further, admitted about vacancies in the department, claiming that 60 per cent posts are vacant. “There is shortage of 168 PSIs and 982 constables. Total 30 per cent of the Superintendents of Police are less,” he added.
Parrikar stated that many of the officers are also posted at the institutions like Lokayukta and Human Rights Commission, depleting the strength further.
Meanwhile, the Goa government Tuesday announced that a mechanism would be worked out to provide financial support to retired police personnel, who appear before the court in their official cases. “We will work out a mechanism for retired policemen so that the government cases would be handled properly in the court,” Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar told the House.
The issue was raised by Ponda MLA Lavoo Mamledar asking for remuneration for the police officers attending their cases.
