Comply or face music: Police to security firms

Delhi Police are going all out to ensure that private security agencies follow the norms while dealing with public money kept in banks.

Delhi Police are going all out to ensure that private security agencies follow the norms while dealing with public money kept in banks.

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After noticing major flouting of rules by private security firms in connection with recruitment of private guards and drivers and violation of norms in transit of money, the police have sent a set of recommendations to the Delhi Government.

These recommendations, if approved, would make it difficult for private security firms to get licences and also help the police in charging these firms if they flout any rules.

The move comes after a heist in Alaknanda in southeast Delhi on January 28, in which the driver and the gunman allegedly fled with Rs 67.5lakh in cash.

According to police, the security firm that hired the accused driver and gunman never checked their antecedents. All the documents given by the accused, including the address proof and the arms licence, were allegedly fake.

The police said that private security firm Scientific Security Management Private Limited does not have the requisite licence to operate their firm.

"We have written to the Delhi Government that the security firm should not be issued a licence. We have also made a set of recommendations to the government," said Sandeep Goel, joint commissioner of police (Crime).

The police have made recommendations for a few changes in the Private Security Agencies Act.

"In the Alaknanda heist case, neither the driver nor the gunman's antecedents were verified by the agency. Even the arms licence they had was fake. All these are violations," added Goel.

If the recommendations by the police fall in place, a private security firm that does not follow the norms could lose its licence as well.

The police also want to have a mechanism for private security agencies, so that they start providing proper training to their guards and drivers in-charge of cash vans and transit of money during refilling of ATMs.

On January 28, two custodians, along with the driver and the gunman had taken R97 lakh and deposited some amount in two ATMs.

The duo then fled with R67.5lakh from outside Alaknanda ATM.