After Adnan Patrawala verdict, cops want to restart hiring law officers

Concerned about the falling rate of conviction, senior officers of the Mumbai police want to restart appointing legal officers, who help draft a strong case.

Concerned about the falling rate of conviction, senior officers of the Mumbai police want to restart appointing legal officers, who help draft a strong case.

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According to a GR passed in February 2007, a special team of lawyers would provide legal opinion to the police to build strong cases. The legal officers, however, would not argue in court as the cases would then be taken up by public prosecutors.

However, new appointments have been stopped because of a court case in the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay high court.

The growing concern for legal officers was echoed by a number of senior police officials, especially after the acquittal in the Adnan Patrawala murder case, a week ago.

Police officials feel legal officers can help point out legal issues and also help in paperwork. Although, special public prosecutors are appointed in high-profile cases, the paper work usually fails to stand the test in courts because of the heavy work load, officials said.

The last time legal officers were appointed in 2005, they wanted to be made permanent employees because their appointments were on contract basis. Joint commissioner of police (administration) SP Yadav said, “There is no fresh proposal to appoint such legal officers because there of the case in the high court,” he said.