50% of top cops corrupt: Ribeiro
Some are outright extortionists and govt must retire them, says former super cop…..Surendra Gangan
Some are outright extortionists and govt must retire them, says former super cop…..Surendra Gangan
There are many Bipin Biharis in the state police and they need to be weeded out, former super cop Julio Ribeiro has said. At least 50 per cent of the Indian Police Service (IPS) officers in Maharashtra are corrupt, he told DNA on Wednesday.
A CID probe had indicted deputy inspector-general of police Bipin Bihari for framing charges against a builder RR Chaturvedi. The home department suspended him and a few other policemen.
“The suspension of Bipin Bihari was a welcome move. People of the western suburbs knew him as an extortionist,” the former Mumbai commissioner said in a letter to home minister RR Patil. “He was a disgrace to the Maharashtra police and to the IPS,” Ribeiro said. He congratulated Patil for his strong stand in the Chaturvedi case.
Urging action against a few other IPS officers, Ribeiro said it can be initiated only by Patil. “These officers need to be weeded out and this can happen only when you are in charge,” the letter said. “Very often there is an attitude of tolerance (to misdeeds by police officials), which needs to be shed,” the letter said.
Talking to DNA, he said the percentage of bad officers in the force had gone up tremendously. “When I joined IPS, one or two per cent (of corrupt officers) would have been a big number. But, now, it has gone up to about 50 per cent,” he said. “Everybody in the police force knows who they are. A handful of them are extortionists,” he said.
“Since the state government has the power to recommend the retirement of such officers, it should be proactive and ensure justice to the people, whom these officers are serving,” he said.
“Since the state government has the power to recommend the retirement of such officers, it should be proactive and ensure justice to the people, whom these officers are serving,” he said.
Ribeiro, who was known as an upright officer during his tenure, said officers like Bihari and Sridhar Wagal would definitely be punished in future. Their greed made them act the way they did, he remarked.
Former director-general of police Arvind Inamdar said the home department’s decision to suspend Bihari had sent out a warning to other officers.
“But the question in this (Chaturvedi’s) case is, how did these officers dare to act with malafide intentions? There is a lack of proper monitoring within the force. There is no fear of the administration,” Inamdar said.
By taking action against Bihari, a laxmanrekha had been drawn for officers, he said.
“Top officials set examples by their own acts as they lead from the front. If government shows determination, the police force will certainly not dare to act in a manner that will bring disgrace to the force,” he said.