Delhi police commissioner Alok Verma’s diktat that officers will have to seek prior approval in writing before flying down to other places to catch terrorists and criminals has reportedly not gone down well with the rank and file of the force which fears that it was bound to hamper investigations in a large number of cases.
On the directions of Mr Verma, special commissioner A.K. Singh, heading the general administration department, recently issued a circular stating that the officials have to first seek approval in writing to fly outside the city to track terrorists and criminals.
The circular said: “It has been observed that non entitled police officers frequently travel by air without obtaining prior approval or permission of the competent authority and subsequently their cases are being referred to Police Headquarter for obtaining ex-post-facto permission and submission of head of department that is commissioner of police.”
The diktat said: “Henceforth, no case for ex-post-facto permission or sanction for performance of extra jurisdictional journey by air will be entertained in Police Headquarter.”
Mr Singh said that in emergency cases, necessary prior approval and permission for air journey may be obtained from the concerned special commissioner of police and thereafter same may be sent to Police Headquarters.
The circular has irked many police officers deployed with the special cell and crime branch, who frequently fly outside Delhi to catch or track terrorists and criminals in other states. The police have reportedly issued more than 1,000 look out notices for absconding terrorists and criminals.
A senior officer said whenever the force gets any tip off about any criminal activity, it is immediately brought to the notice of either assistant commissioner of police or deputy commissioner of police for future course of action.
Now, with new diktat in place, the investigating officers will be bound to first seek written approval from their immediate seniors—ACP, DCP, JCP and finally from the special commissioner of police. “We will have to make a file and knock the doors of the senior officers to get prior approval. If one is lucky enough then it will take 24 hours to get the approval or else 48 hours,” a police officer, who has cracked several terror modules, told this newspaper.
Several investigating officers stated that they take flight for “official work and not for personal purpose”. “In urgent matters, we take flight to catch criminals and terrorists or else we don’t do so. If we reach late, criminals get ample time to flee from their hideouts.”
