NAGPUR: To save its skin from public humiliation and anger over the comment made by former Mumbai police commissioner and now Director General of Police (Housing) Hassan Gafoor in an interview to a weekly magazine accused four senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officers KL Prasad, Deven Bharti, K. Venkatesham and Parambir Singh of dereliction of duty during the last November terror attacks and alleged that these four IPS officers had not responded to the situation during the terrorist attack on the city. Gafoor also alleged that a section of senior officers refused to be on the ground and take on the terrorists. By doing so, they chose to ignore the need of the hour,” he is reported to have said.
The Congress-NCP led Democratic Front government, which had made up its mind to appoint Gafoor as the next state DGP superseding the acting and senior DGP Anami Roy, dumped him in the ongoing winter session of the state Assembly on Monday night.
Speaking in the Assembly state home minister RR Patil said that the clarification given by Gafoor on his controversial statement to the weekly magazine was not acceptable and that strict action would be taken against Gafoor according to the service rules. Patil said that Gafoor had clarified to the government that he had made those comments to the weekly magazine in an informal discussion but the home department had taken a decision to totally reject the clarification.
Patil told the Assembly that the remarks of Gafoor were uncalled for and ‘strict disciplinary action” would be taken against him. At the same time the government would like to relay a message to the police force that even senior officers, if found guilty of misconduct will not be spared. “ I had sought a clarification from Gafoor. In his response, Gafoor informed me that the statement was made during a casual talk with the journalist. But should a DGP level officer make such remarks before the media,” Patil asked.
The home minister further said “I expected that Gafoor ought to have informed me or chief minister Ashok Chavan on part of lapses of any officer during the last year Mumbai terror attacks or he could have also put that forward to the Ram Pradhan committee about the four IPS officers. But speaking to the media, is not acceptable.
Surprisingly, Patil gave a clean chit to all the four IPS officers, like he did for Joint Commissioner of Police Rakesh Maria. Whatever, the force seemed to be divided on the issue. A senior IPS officer of the rank of Additional Director General of Police told ‘Arab News’ that he stood by Gafoor. “ I know him well. He is an honest and sincere officer. He would never make any comments without evidence, this I can say with confidence. Let there be an inquiry and the truth would come out,” he added.
On the other end, Patil’s clean chit to Rakesh Maria’s has angered Vinita Kamte, wife of slain Additional Commissioner of Police Ashok Kamte who was killed by terrorists outside Cama Hospital. Patil told the Assembly that he stood by Maria against whom Vinita had leveled allegations in her book ‘The Last Bullet” which was released on the day of the first anniversary of the 26/11 terror strike in Mumbai.
Patil said that the issues raised by Vinita in her book, was a natural sentiment after the loss of her husband. Lauding Maria, Patil said that he was one of the efficient officials in the police department and was responsible for the investigations into the Mumbai bomb blasts, the work of the crime branch and ensuring corruption free recruitment into the police force. Patil his one hour long speech in the Assembly Patil not only spoke in favor of Maria, but also praised him for his “efficient handling’ of various bomb blast cases. In a way, Patil had brushed aside the allegations leveled by Vinita who had held Maria ‘responsible’ for the death of her husband in her book.
