Compulsion to be Corrupt - Police

 While I was in school during summer vacations all of us used to go to our grand parents. My uncles who were serving in Army and police force also used to visit on annual leave. On their arrival in smart uniform with shining stars on their shoulders, I used to dream that one day I would also join either army or police. The urge to join police became stronger each year once I found that the police officers enjoy lot of power and wield influence.

 With the years passing I became active Rotractor at Batala in Distt. Gurdaspur Punjab. Thus, I had benefit of interaction with Senior District Administration Officers. Once one of the senior police officer asked my carrier preference and my answer was “to join police”. Surprisingly he wished me “bad luck”. Once I asked the reason, he said that what all is attracting you is the shining stars on our shoulders but you do not know the responsibility we have on shoulders that to all Politicians, Bureaucrats seek favours and if we deny then we suffer.

 Well, that was the first time when started thinking seriously about the problems in Police Force. Incidentally that was the time when one of cousins who was police officer suffered because he refused to oblige the politicians. That further strengthened by intentions of addressing the issue as and when opportunity comes in my way.

 All of us had been hearing a lot about corruption in Police and in fact it is a harsh matter ground reality.  The stories of auctioning of Police Stations in District or posting of District head may not be 100% true but yet are true to a great extent. In 80’s I have not only heard auctioning of the position of SHO of Police Stations but was witness to such a deal accidentally. The recent cases of Delhi Traffic Police officials involved in corruption is nothing new. Such a system of collecting fixed bribe from truckers and bus operators both within City and Interstate is going on since ages. Just as luck would have it, I had benefit of operating trucks on National Permit. Before the truck started its first journey from Andhra Pradesh to Delhi I gave strict instructions to the Driver that he is not permitted to write slogans or paste stickers on the Wind Screen. Once my truck returned there was a slogan painted on the truck and six stickers were pasted on the wind screen. I shouted at him and asked him to remove the stickers. The story he narrated was absolutely shocking for me. The slogan was painted under instructions of RTO who had charged Rs. 500.00 for a month with an assurance that my trucks would not be challaned. Each sticker pasted on wind screen was a proof of having made payment of Rs. 500.00 per month to the Police officials or RTO’S of six States with an assurance that except for one ceremonial challan.

 With stickers pasted on wind screen and slogan on side I could over load my 9 tonner truck by another 5 tonnes meaning thereby I could carry 14 tonnes as against permitted load of only 9 tonnes.

Though a lot has been said about eradicating corruption in police but on ground no one has really bothered to address the issue in its right earnest. Both the Apex Court and the Central Government have time and again stressed on Police Reforms, but the shocking part is that the Police Constabulary being the first face of Police that faces the general public and the key in the cogwheel of investigation has been ignored even by fifth pay commission.

 As per information received under Right to Information Act, 2005 from Delhi Police it has been observed that each constable living in far flung area, with small family having two school going children, without any savings to his account, shall have either to beg or borrow an amount of Rs. 5,000-00 to Rs. 6,000-00 each month for below average standard of living.

 During British regime the police was always under paid with a specific agenda that once underpaid they would indulge in corruption and under the threat of removal the Britishers would force them to act as per their own whims and fancies against the Indian freedom fighters and they succeeded.

 In view of the information provided it is felt that even the mind set of present rulers has not changed. The Police constabulary is still lowly paid as would be evident from the following table:-

 In case the constable opts for insurance policy or any other saving scheme and gives pocket money to school going children or indulges in a luxury of giving any simple gift to his wife once in a blue moon the deficit would go up by another Rs. 2,500.00 per month. This amount is exclusive of the money spent by the Cop on himself during duty hours or commuting from Home to place of Duty & back. Therefore the total deficit would go up to Rs. 7,988.33 per month.

 Now to meet this need of bare minimum amount he is bound to indulge in borrowing as he cannot beg thus to repay indulge in corruption. Thus indulging in corruption is bound to reflect on his working efficiency, law enforcement and investigations. The issues like Nithari or Prof Sabharwal, Jessica Lal or Priyadarshini Mattoo shall continue to crop up very often. The BMW’s shall continue to mow down the innocent people and get converted into trucks over night. The Blue Lines would continue to recklessly kill the road users. The overloaded trucks would continue to damage the roads, cause pollution what ever we may say about global warming leading to accidents, unquantifiable amount of damage to life and property and loss to the State Exchequer.

Not only this they would also continue to be arrogant defiant, ruthless and reckless in their day to day life. They would continue to disrespect and even kill their colleagues and seniors out of sheer frustration.

 Therefore, unless we address this root cause of corruption and pay reasonable salaries no reforms are going to work and improve the system. Law enforcement and poor and shoddy investigations would continue to be the first causality.

 Therefore, in fitness of things it is utmost important that the issue is at least now dealt with properly and it is ensured that the lower constabulary is paid reasonable salary so that tomorrow if they do not perform they can be punished.

 In addition to the reasonable Salary, there is a need to put in place a system to ensure that no Cop has to bear the expense of giving decent burial or performing last rites of unclaimed bodies.