Seniors to check records of cops to be posted in city

A police official will need to have a clean track record to get a posting in the Mumbai police force, senior officers have decided, in the wake of the suspension of two policemen from the crime branch for allegedly helping murder accused Vijay Palande escape from custody.

A police official will need to have a clean track record to get a posting in the Mumbai police force, senior officers have decided, in the wake of the suspension of two policemen from the crime branch for allegedly helping murder accused Vijay Palande escape from custody.

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On Monday, inspector Sanjay Shinde and constable Amol Deshpande from the crime branch were suspended, and a departmental inquiry initiated.

Henceforth, senior officials will cross-check the records of all officials before okaying their posting in the city.

Police commissioner Arup Patnaik, who has already asked the crime branch to conduct an internal audit to check the credentials of its officials, said on Tuesday: “We have a mechanism by which senior officials check on the performance of officials under them. But henceforth, there will be a proper audit of not just the placements in the crime branch but for all key posts in the Mumbai police.”

Officials said there have been several times officials have been found to have dubious records. “It sends out the wrong message. We have been asked to maintain a strict watch on the performance of officials and to monitor high-profile cases on a day-to-day basis,” said an official.

The city police will also screen the policemen’s annual confidential record before okaying key postings in the city, the official said. These include postings in the crime branch, the social service branch and at select police stations.

Shinde had a dubious record and had in fact been transferred out of the Mumbai police several years ago. But he not only managed to return but also got a posting in the elite crime branch.