New Delhi: Chief Justice of India (CJI) NV Ramana orally observed Friday that he had thought of creating a panel to examine atrocities and complaints against bureaucrats, particularly police officers. The panel will be headed by the Chief Justice of the high court concerned. “I have lot of reservations at the way, how bureaucracy particularly, how police officers are behaving in this country,” NV Ramana said.
“I was at one time thinking of creating a standing committee to examine atrocities and complaints against bureaucrats, particularly police officers, headed by the Chief Justice of the high court. I want to reserve that… Don’t want to do now,” the CJI added.
A bench also comprising Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli was hearing a plea filed by suspended Additional Director General of Police of Chhattisgarh Gurjinder Pal Singh seeking protection from arrest in criminal cases – sedition, extortion, and owning disproportionate assets – against him.
The top court told Singh’s counsel September 27 that his client cannot take protection from arrest in every case. It pointed out that things take a wrong turn when people start extracting money, as they were close to the government.
“When you’re good with government, you may extract… then you’ve to pay back with interest. This is too much, why should we grant protection to such officers?” the Ramana had remarked. He added that such police officers must not be protected but must be jailed.
The Supreme Court had orally pointed out August 26 at a disturbing trend, where police officials, siding with the party in power, later getting targetted when another political dispensation comes into power.
The Chief Justice had said: “When a political party is in power, police officials side with it… then, when a new party comes into power, the government initiates action against those officials. This is a new trend, which needs to be stopped.”
Three special leave petitions have been moved before the apex court against the Chhattisgarh High Court orders, where the court declined to quash the FIRs against Singh.
A case was filed against Singh based on a written complaint by the state Anti-Corruption Bureau, based on preliminary findings that he had amassed disproportionate assets. Certain documents were seized from his possession, which pointed at his involvement in a conspiracy against the government.
