Thiruvananthapuram: Amid alarming reports on strong nexus between shady elements in the police force and organised criminals in Kerala, the authorities have enhanced scrutiny.
Accordingly, internal Vigilance Cells have been revived and reconstituted to file daily reports on the functioning of the police in each district.
It has been directed to submit all media reports related to the police from each district on the same day. A detailed follow-up report after inquiry on the same is to be filed later.
The Superintendents of Police (SP) from special units, who are not engaged in Law and Order maintenance, will lead the Internal Vigilance Cell at the district level.
The SPs are to file their reports to the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) at the Police Head Quarters, every day. The heads of the internal cells had their first meeting the other day. The Director General of Police (DGP) and the ADGP have given the necessary directions to them.
The name and other details of those working with the new cell will not be revealed even to the District Police Chiefs and other senior officers.
In cities with Commissionerates, the cell will have 10 officers led by the SP while in other districts, a five-member team will be led by the SP. Only straightforward officers who have not faced any disciplinary action have been inducted into the cells.
The Internal Vigilance Cells, which were frozen 9 years ago, have been revived based on widespread allegations that the pro-CPM officers and those with goonda ties within the Intelligence wing and the Special Branch have been giving wrong information to their higher-ups.
24 tainted Station House Officers changed
As many as 24 tainted Station House Officers (SHO) have been replaced with other SHOs as it was found they had links with goons.
The Inspectors who have been listed as the ‘bad apples’ in the Intelligence report too have been replaced.
At Petta and Mangalapuram stations in the State capital new SHOs have replaced the tainted SHOs who faced disciplinary actions. Based on a report from the Kottayam SP, Ettumanoor SHO has also been replaced.
Meanwhile, Inspector Suresh V Nair, who was suspended from Thiruvallom station a year ago after finding that he had ties with the sand mafia, has been reinstated to the service.
The DGP has directed the District Police Chiefs to file the list of cops accused in criminal cases latest by Tuesday evening.
