Legal loopholes enabling entry of criminals into Kerala Police to be plugged

Representative image. Photo: Manorama Online.
Representative image. Photo: Manorama Online.

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Police is taking strict measures to prevent candidates with criminal antecedents, including those named in cases of attack against women and indulging in violence, from getting into the force.

The Director General of Police (DGP) has recommended that the state government bring in the necessary amendments to the existing laws to prevent such candidates from joining the force under the cover of court orders.

In his letter, the state police chief pointed out that many candidates with criminal antecedents similarly got into the police force in the last few years. Hence, Section 86 (2) of The Kerala Police Act, 2011, should be amended.

The amendments will come into force upon getting the nod of the Public Service Commission (PSC).

A total of 40 such personnel, who got into the force through court orders in the last seven to eight years, were dismissed from service. The Intelligence wing, however, warned that such persons who got training in the use of weapons could take the law into their own hands outside.

Main recommendations

1. Candidates named in such cases should not be allowed to take the police recruitment test.

2. Police Clearance Certificate (PCC), issued from the respective stations under the limits within which the houses of candidates locate, should be made mandatory.

3. The candidates can be allowed to sit in the written exam if only the case has been registered against them and no charge sheet submitted.

4. If the charge sheet is submitted before the commencement of training in the force, then the same should be postponed until the candidate's name is cleared of the charges. The PCC should be made mandatory before the training too.

5. Candidates should be dismissed from service if they are punished in such cases during the training period. If they are acquitted from the case, an internal committee of the police force should make a final decision after examining the whole matter.

Traffic violations too won't be condoned

If a candidate is found guilty of violating traffic rules three consecutive times, he/she should not be inducted into the force, a council of Additional Director Generals of Police (ADGPs) had recommended to the DGP. This too is before the state government's consideration and requires an amendment of law and the nod of PSC.

The Intelligence found that most of those who got employed in the police driver post recently were punished for driving vehicles in an inebriated condition or for over-speeding. An inquiry revealed that 39 of the 59 candidates who qualified for the post had remitted fines for such traffic offences more than once.

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