DGP: Releasing ‘secret documents’ was rule violation by Noida SSP

Uttar Pradesh director general of police (DGP) OP Singh on Friday said a clarification had been sought from senior superintendent of police (SSP) of Gautam Buddha

Uttar Pradesh director general of police (DGP) OP Singh on Friday said a clarification had been sought from senior superintendent of police (SSP) of Gautam Buddha Nagar (Noida) Vaibhav Krishna over leakage of ‘secret documents’ related to involvement of senior officials in corruption.

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Singh said it was wrong on part of the SSP to release the documents to the media in violation of All India Service Conduct Rules.

“I have asked the inspector general of police (IGP) of Meerut Range Alok Singh to seek explanation from the SSP,” Singh said at a presser.

SSP of Noida had reportedly sent ‘secret documents’ related to the nexus of some private persons, including an OSD of a former chief minister and some gazetted and non-gazetted officers involved in procuring government tenders, transfer and posting of cops for money. In the report, he had pointed out that some IPS officers posted in different districts in the state and some journalists arrested in August were part of the same nexus. This information was later leaked to the media.

Narrating the sequence of events, DGP said five journalists were booked under the Gangster Act in August, 2019 and a detailed investigation report was submitted by the SSP of Gautam Buddha Nagar. “The arrested people were blackmailing the officers in the garb of journalism,” he said adding, “Four of them are in jail while one is still at large. In this case, the SSP of Gautam Budddha Nagar had given his report to the UP home department and we in turn gave a detailed report to the ADG of Meerut for further inquiry.”

He said that in the middle of all these developments, a video clip, allegedly of the SSP chatting with a woman, went viral. “The SSP has filed a case at the Sector 20 police station in Gautam Buddha Nagar against unknown persons, suspecting role of some officials to malign his image,” he said.

“When we got to know, we transferred the case to Hapur district for free and fair investigation. We have asked the IG of Meerut zone to get it investigated. On December 26, ADG Meerut zone requested us for more time to conduct an inquiry. It was alleged these people were procuring tenders in an unlawful manner. We arrested two of the people involved. We are still probing the case. Many people have been named in these documents. We will complete our investigation soon,” he added.

Additional chief secretary (Home) Awanish Awasthi was also present along with the DGP during the press conference.

While addressing a press conference on Wednesday, Vaibhav Krishna had accused unidentified persons for allegedly circulating “doctored” obscene videos clips stating him to be in it. He said it was part of a “larger conspiracy” to tarnish his image after the police busted certain “serious” criminal cases recently.

“I received the information that my images have been used in some videos which are viral on the social media. I saw these videos and believe that this is part of a larger conspiracy. We have recently submitted a detailed report on the investigation of some sensitive cases related to Gautam Buddha Nagar and reports of some other districts have also been submitted to the UP CM’s office in November. Police have also busted several criminal nexus that were operational in Noida,”  Krishna said.

“We have also worked out serious corruption cases against organised gangs. It appears some people, disturbed with the police action, have tried to float this doctored videos. It will be investigated,” he said.

The SSP did not name a particular case or any person he believed to be involved in the “doctoring” of the video.

He added that Sector 20 police have registered a case under section 67 and 67(e) of the Information Technology Act against unknown persons in the matter.

“We will request the IG of Meerut Zone to transfer the investigation of this case outside Gautam Buddha Nagar for the probe to be free and fair. The police will dig out the root of this crime and arrest all the people involved in this,” he said.