Give 'serious thought' before censuring: CAT to Delhi police

The Central Administrative Tribunal has asked the Delhi police to give a "serious thought" while imposing a penalty of censure on any officer unless the charge levelled against is of corruption and moral turpitude as it would hamper his chances of promotion.

The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has asked the Delhi police to give a "serious thought" while imposing a penalty of censure on any officer unless the charge levelled against is of corruption and moral turpitude as it would hamper his chances of promotion.

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"Censure is indeed a minor punishment prescribed under rules but it is often seen that the same turns out as
stumbling block in a big way in the matter of promotion of an officer in Delhi police," the tribunal headed by Chairman V K Bali said.

The CAT, comprising Vice-Chairman L K Joshi, passed the order on an inspector's plea, challenging censure action
against him by Delhi police on charges of dereliction of duty towards registering FIR, purposely for showing less
crime-graph in his area.

"Even though, there are instructions to state that unless the censures may be on the allegations of corruption and moral turpitude, the same may not be taken into consideration in case of promotion, but the law that has evolved is that
overall service record of an officer is relevant for the purpose of his promotion.

"That being so, while proposing to visit a police officer with the penalty of censure, the concerned authority is to
give a serious thought," the tribunal said while quashing the action taken against the officer.

The disciplinary proceedings against inspector Ravinder Kumar Sharma started in 2006 after he was allegedly found
lacking in duty for delaying registration of FIR of theft cases during routine check-up in Dwarka police station.