Tightening the noose further on illegal sand mining, cricket betting, matka gambling and flow of ganja in Kalaburagi district, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj and district in-charge Priyank Kharge has directed the City Police Commissioner and Superintendent of Police to identify and take strict action against police officials found to be involved with illegal activities with miscreants.
Chairing a high-level meeting to review the functioning of the Police department, Revenue Department and Mines and Geology in Kalaburagi city on Tuesday, Mr. Kharge and Medical Education Minister Sharanprakash Patil warned that police officials engaged in illegal activity and working as agents for real estate dealers and land grabbers will be dealt with an iron hand.
“Any nexus between criminals and police officers cannot be tolerated, the officers who cannot work for the welfare of the people, they are free to take transfer from the district,” Mr. Kharge said.
He did not mince words while taking to task the police officials for failing to provide the required information in the meeting and for coming without being fully prepared.
Referring to the past cases, Mr. Kharge said that the Maharashtra police raided the cricket betting racket and Belagavi police raided ganja peddlers in the district in the last two years. When the police from other States and districts can get information of ganja peddlers and cricket betting in Kalaburagi, was the Kalaburagi police unaware about these illegal activities, he questioned.
Mr. Kharge and Dr. Patil said that police officials were getting salary from the department and working for the rowdy elements.
At one point, Mr. Kharge even read the rate card fixed for each police officer including Deputy Superintendent of Police, Circle police Inspector and head constables for allowing illegal sand mining, gambling and running clubs. The police officers present in the meeting hall maintained silence when Mr. Kharge asked whether the monthly commission he mentioned was right.
Mr. Kharge further claimed that the station writers are the rootcause to guide the rowdy fringe elements and support them in legal matters. All the station writers who were working in the same police station for a long time should be transferred immediately, he said.
Mr. Kharge directed the police commissioner to establish a separate cell to monitor rumour mongers on social media.
Kalaburagi Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Bhanwar Singh Meena, Superintendent of Police Isha Pant, Police Commissioner R. Chetan, Deputy Commissioner of Police Adduru Srinivasalu were present.
