NEW DELHI: The Delhi Administration has recommended disciplinary action against 30 police officials including a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) for their role in the 1984 violence following the assassination of former Prime Minister Mrs Indira Gandhi.
The recommendation has been made on the proposals put up by the Jain Mittal committee which had been appointed by the Government to probe the conduct of police officials in the riots. The home department of the administration had put the file up for the Lt. Governor’s approval last month. After processing the files have been reportedly sent to the Home Ministry for necessary action.
According to sources the Home Ministry was accepted to prepare charge sheets against the officers named by the Jain Mittal committee.
Senior officials in the ministry admitted that the “movement” of files had been very slow mainly on account of the fact that the indictment had come on some “brother” officers and there was intense pressure from many quarters to slow down the investigations or exclude the names of certain officials who were regarded as politically powerful.
The decision of two police officers last year to go in appeal to the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) protesting against their names being dragged in to the 1984 violence has also led to the slowing down of the investigation process.
Of the 30 named in the administration’s recommendations a majority belong to the east Delhi police stations of Trilokpuri and Kalyanpuri. Some others indicted are from the west and south Delhi police stations.
According to sources the examination of certain police officers became necessary after the committee on scrutiny found several discrepancies in the records maintained during the riots and the statements made by officials.
Among the things that the Jain-Mittal committee examined were records at police stations the control rooms the wireless logbooks at the police headquarters and the Delhi Armored Police records. In addition the committee had made available a detailed questionnaire for the police officers to know the extent of rioting in their areas and the action taken by them.
According to sources the 30 named in the administration’s recommendations have all been booked under the Indian Penal Code and charge sheets would be prepared keeping the individual service conduct rules into question.
The Jain-Mittal committee has also identified “the deficiencies and limitations of manpower and equipment and suggest ways to tone up the functioning of the Delhi Police to meet future needs.” It has also identified a dozen police officials who had done creditable work during the 1984 riots and names certain officials who had done “exemplary” duty in the face of odds during the 1984 riots.
Observers feel no action will ever be taken.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 29, 1991
