DGP asks for action against criminal MPs, MLA

“Mananiye”(honourable) with criminal background are in for trouble, as the state police have decided to tighten noose around them.

With large number of criminal cases pending against elected representatives, the police have now planned to vigorously follow the cases and ensure action against these Mafiosi-turned politicians.

While chief minister Mayawati has given nod for action against criminals, an order of High Court on April 12, 2007 on a PIL for action against them has come handy for the DGP GL Sharma to further push through the agenda of the new government. The DGP has issued elaborate instructions to SPs to “effectively handle the pending criminals cases against MPs, MLAs and other elected representatives”.

The court in its order said “we now direct the district judges and DGP to ensure expeditious conclusions of the trials and investigations and directions for the re-investigation where erroneous final reports appear to have been submitted or where extraneous pressures have been exercised for saving politically influential accused. In some cases non-bailable warrants have been issued but no further steps taken for initiating proceedings under sections 82/83 CrPC (attachment proceedings)”. The court further noted “we must again re-emphasize, as directed earlier, that the DGP should ensure that the investigating officers are directed to ensure that witnesses turn up on the dates fixed for giving their evidence before the courts concerned”. The case Karan Singh versus state government was filed in 2006.

The DGP said here on Thursday that “if the cases against these people have been closed down because of the political pressure, they should be re-investigated”.

The BSP chief Mayawati during assembly election campaigning had accused the SP government of harbouring the criminals. “Yeh Mafia sarkar hai” (this is the government of Mafiosi) was the repeated assertions of Mayawati during electioneering. According to information nearly 1000 criminal cases of politically connected people were withdrawn during the last regime.

The DGP said while “ensuring service of court summons the police must take legal action against absconding elected representatives”. According to UP Election Watch Group of the total 6070 candidates who contested assembly election 882 had been facing heinous criminal cases.

The DGP has asked the SPs to monitor the progress in the cases and “re-investigate closed cases on priority”. He said that slackness on the part of the district police would not be tolerated.

Email author: mhasan@hindustantimes.com

First Published: May 18, 2007 04:49 IST