The Goa police has been extremely busy of late.
Some forcing rescued sex workers to perform oral sex onthem, others recording their colleagues having oral sex with arrested women ina police van. Still others across Mapusa, Bicholim and Calangute are accused ofgetting women from pimps on the coastal belt in lieu of allowing prostitutionto thrive.
“You cannot totally blame the lower lever police personnel.Higher level officers involved in various offences are not the best example”says social activist Tara Kerkar.
Little wonder that they have no time to do basic policing.And when they get time, they are either supplying drugs or planting drugs. Incase there is still time left , they beat men in custody to death or use theirplay time helping people to gamble with fake currencies.
Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar confesses “I am sure thatmost of the policemen are involved in off enses. But then there are a few policemenwho are really good officers”
The Goan brings you a blow by blow account of the number oftimes Goa Police shamed, this state and its’ people, who repose their faith in them.
Through information sought by Advocate Aires Rodrigues underthe Right to Information Act, Goa Police last year had revealed that more thanhalf the police officers holding the rank of Police Sub Inspector toSuperintendent of Police have faced disciplinary action at some time or theother during their service with the service.
There is corruption of all kinds “ moral, professional andeven attitudinal in the forces and more reasons than one to be ashamed of.
Head Constable, Calangute, Santosh Naik was filmed on acellphone indulging in oral sex with a call girl by another Police Constablewhile he was on duty in a police control room (PCR) van. Three years later, thepolice issued a show cause notice to Naik, recommending amongst others, a demotion,a pay cut etc- a three year delay, after a departmental inquiry, in a crimewhich happened in full public view. Ditto in September last year, when MapusaPSI Vishwa Vijay Parab was charged for having oral sex with the rescued victimof the prostitution in the police lock up and abusing her in a police jeep. Thegirl had been picked up from Pernem jurisdiction while soliciting customers andbought to the Mapusa police station.
The force hid its head in shame and still did not doanything about it. “We are not going to allow these officers to go unpunished”says Director General of Police Kishen Kumar when asked why the state is beingguarded by officers facing disciplinary charges.
The Goa Police has been rocked by cases of senior fieldofficers including Police Inspectors serving as conduits to the state’sburgeoning drug trade, Sub Inspectors are involved in the circulation of fakecurrency, amongst others. The crimes of the guardians against crimes keep onpiling up daily “ some as miniscule as pocketing bribes in traffic offences andothers as big as running drug and crime syndicates.
The taint in the forces starts at the top. On December 42009. Former IGP K D Singh’s son, Siddharth Singh, was driving his father’sofficial vehicle Toyota Innova GA-07-G-0063 along with his friends. He crashed thevehicle into a couple of electricity poles. Interestingly, IGP’s son was leftscot free as Home Minister Ravi Naik ordered action against his official driverMahesh Sharma, despite the driver categorically stating that though he was onduty and the keys of the vehicle were with IGP K D Singh.
Not just this. Lower down Dy SP Shamba Sawant, was suspendedon grounds of alleged misconduct after complaints that he sent lewd textmessages to female subordinates. But it is not sex and corruption that drivesthe forces, PI Ashish Shirodkar and PSI Gudlar shamed the forces for allyingwith drug peddlers and druglords. They became allies in the state’s burgenoningdrug trade.
The lone voice of tough action comes from the good cop who shamedhis tainted men to win Anjuna’s confidence. “I am of the opinion that theinvestigation against the guilty police officers should be conducted on meritand the guilty should be punished,” says North Goa SP Vijay Singh
The involvement of police in crime shows that the governmentneeds to do a lot. For a force with 4500 personnel, that is one policeman forevery 324 Goans, Goa Police’s investigation rate is an abysmal 64%.
The shocking fact is that citizens are well aware of theirfriendly neighbourhood policeman’s escapades.
The question is how much can we trust the guardians of lawand order in our society?
