PANAJI
Fresh allegations have surfaced against Superintendent of Police (Traffic) Prabodh Shirvaikar, with departmental sources questioning the handling of an internal disciplinary inquiry, the transfer of traffic personnel and claims that departmental proceedings may have been influenced.
Inquiry process under scrutiny
The developments come even as the Home Department earlier this month referred a whistleblower’s representation to the Director General of Police (DGP), seeking action on allegations of corruption, abuse of authority and selective disciplinary action within the Traffic Police.
Departmental sources told The Goan that another internal disciplinary matter has come under scrutiny after allegations that an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI), who was facing departmental proceedings while awaiting promotion, allegedly paid money to secure a favourable outcome in the inquiry. The officer was later promoted to the rank of Police Sub-Inspector (PSI) and is now posted in a Traffic Cell.
Transfers raise questions
In a separate development, departmental sources said around 10 personnel from the Anjuna Traffic Cell were transferred after objections were raised within the department over Shirvaikar continuing as the disciplinary authority in proceedings that arose from a preliminary inquiry conducted by him.
Documents accessed by The Goan show that some of the personnel submitted written representations seeking the appointment of a different disciplinary authority.
According to the representations, the preliminary inquiry that led to the disciplinary proceedings was conducted by Shirvaikar while he was serving as Deputy Superintendent of Police (Traffic, South). After his promotion as Superintendent of Police (Traffic), he became the disciplinary authority in the same proceedings.
The personnel argued that as Shirvaikar could also be required to appear as a prosecution witness in the proceedings, his role as disciplinary authority created a reasonable apprehension of bias.
They requested that the Superintendent of Police (Headquarters) be appointed as the disciplinary authority instead. Departmental sources said the transfers of the 10 personnel followed soon afterwards.
Whistleblower complaint pending
The latest allegations add to the issues already raised in the whistleblower’s complaint pending before the Home Department.
The complaint, which was forwarded to the DGP through an official communication for appropriate action, alleged corruption, selective disciplinary action and institutional favouritism within the Traffic Police.
Among other allegations, the complainant claimed that disciplinary action arising from covert sting recordings made in October 2024 was applied
selectively.
According to the representation, personnel from the Anjuna and Porvorim Traffic Cells were suspended after they were allegedly caught accepting small bribes, while a separate incident involving four personnel from the Calangute Traffic Cell was allegedly not dealt with in a similar manner.
The Goan contacted Director General of Police Alok Kumar to seek his response to the latest allegations and to find out whether any inquiry has been initiated into the whistleblower’s complaint. He was unavailable for comment.
