PANAJI
In a reversal of its drive to overhaul the Anti-Narcotic Cell’s (ANC) intelligence network, Goa police on Wednesday posted several personnel back to the unit within weeks of transferring them out.
The fresh postings incidentally came 48 hours after several IPS and GPS Superintendents of Police, including ANC SP Sunita Sawant, were part of a major reshuffle.
As per the latest order, PSI Rajaram Bagkar has been transferred from Calangute police station (PS) to the ANC, while PSI Jhilu alias Ashish Porob has been moved from Mopa Airport PS to the unit. Reinstated PSIs Sanket Naik and Gaurav Naik have also been posted to the ANC.
Ten constables, Girish Kerkar, Pratik Gad, Suraj Madkaikar, Radhakrishna Ralkar, Karan Haldankar, Apnesh Sawant, Ulpat Shet, Saish Naik, Pravin Gaude and Sahil Kunkalekar – all serving at GRP -- have also been transferred to the ANC.
In its August order, the department transferred 27 personnel out of the ANC as part of an exercise to induct fresh staff and strengthen intelligence-gathering against drug dealers and peddlers. Senior officers had said personnel who had served in the cell for more than four years were moved out to prevent the unit’s intelligence network from becoming concentrated in the hands of a few individuals. Few others were transferred prior to August.
A senior police officer even stated that some personnel had begun to consider themselves indispensable because of the sources they had developed during their long tenure in the unit. “The newly inducted personnel have started gathering intelligence and more anti-narcotic operations are now being conducted,” the officer added.
The latest postings also bring PSIs Sanket and Gaurav into the ANC a day after their reinstatement. Both, then attached to Maina-Curtorim PS, were suspended following a preliminary fact-finding inquiry into allegations that five youths, including a minor, were assaulted while in police custody. The PSIs were reinstated with immediate effect on Tuesday and directed to remain attached to the South Goa District Police Reserve Line pending regular posting.
