PANAJI
Not just targeting crimes and criminals, Goa Police are cleaning its department within their ranks, albeit half-heartedly. In a span of two months this year, five cops have been sacked including a home guard-turned-constable.
While one constable was terminated from services after being implicated in a murder case, the other four were dismissed for submitting fake educational certificates to secure the job.
Moreover, since 2020, over 105 personnel including Police Inspectors, have faced suspension of whom only 17 remain suspended currently. The remaining were reinstated subsequently.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant’s reply to an unstarred question by MLA Digambar Kamat reveals that this year, the first to go was constable Amey Volvoikar on March 8, after his arrest for murder and rioting in the Old Goa police station jurisdiction.
Dnyaneshwar Tulaskar from Anjuna Police Station, Santosh Yatrekar from Valpoi, and Maheshwar Pednekar from Mapusa were all dismissed on April 15 for using fake Secondary School Examination Certificates to secure their positions to the rank of constables.
Ranganath Bhiku Kavlekar from Maina Curtorim faced termination on August 4 for allegedly submitting invalid certificates from a defunct university in Manipur. The Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education confirmed to the department that the university is no longer valid.
Last year, constable Satish Narse from Bicholim was dismissed for his alleged involvement in a cognizable offense.
Yet, the department remains tight-lipped about a more embarrassing expose where quite a few constables and head constables are caught submitting forged medical certificates to extend sick leaves. Inquiries revealed forged government hospital stamps and signatures, but no action has been taken so far.
