Procedure Ought to Be Followed: Former Cops on Order Against ‘Corrupt’ Police Officials in UP

The Yogi Adityanath-led government in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday has warned the “corrupt” and “non-performing” police officers above the age of 50 that they might be asked to forcefully retire. A letter in this regard has been sent to all units of UP police by ADG (establishment) Piyush Anand. The ADG has asked to produce a list of non-performing and corrupt police officers by June 30.

Chief Minister Adityanath's warning came during a review meeting of the police in the Azamgarh division. "Policemen who are in collusion with criminals must be identified. There is no place for corrupt police personnel in the department," the CM was quoted as saying by the PTI.

The decision by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has come at a time when the state is already grappling with increased number of crimes against women and lawlessness.

Commenting over the decision by the Adityanath government, IPS officer, ex-IG (UP police) SR Darapuri said, "The Adityanath government is trying to create fear among the police officials. This order exists already, and the previous governments had been doing so before as well. There is process to dismiss any police officer if his/her record is not up to the mark or he is corrupt and non-performing. There can be a departmental inquiry against him and he is given time to prove his innocence and defend himself. Once investigation against him is completed, the government can take a call to dismiss him. No government has the right to force the police officers to dismiss or retire him before giving him a notice period."

"There have been such instances in the past as well. There were several police officers who were found guilty and they were dismissed. But you cannot dismiss him if he is innocent and is performing well," the former IG stated.

He further said that the by forcing the corrupt police officers to retire, Adityanath government wants to show that they are more honest than the previous government, but the irony is that the corruption in departmental inquiry still prevails.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had recently said that his government does not require police officers who are not honest towards their work and system.

Meanwhile, Vikram Singh, former DGP of Uttar Pradesh while welcoming this statement, has said that no government can force any police officer to take Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) if he is performing well and is not corrupt.

He told NewsClick, "This has been standard operating procedure for years by which corrupt and inefficient officers are thrown out."

When asked if a government can force a police officer to take retirement without a departmental inquiry and investigation, the former DGP said: "This provision comes after completing the age of 50 and 25 years of operational service. In case of constables and head constables, it is the SP concerned. In case of sub-inspectors, the IG and DGP, the deputy SP and the governor concerned. In the case of IPS officers, it’ the president of India. They have rights to dismiss or order compulsory retirement for the concerned officer."

Accusing the Adityanath-led government of seeking the limelight, former Superintendent of Police Vibhuti Narain Rai told NewsClick, "This is nothing but the BJP government trying to sensationalise the issue. This has been happening in the past also. When the government will implement this, we might see the intention of CM Adityanath—they want to recruit only Thakurs like the previous government recruited mostly Yadavas."

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