NEW DELHI: The Government is understood to have constituted a cell in the Union Home Ministry to identify and punish the officials indicted by the Thakkar Commission report tabled in Parliament on March 31.

The cell, headed by an Additional Secretary, reportedly included two Joint Secretaries. It will give its report to the Government before a discussion is held in parliament on the Thakkar Commission report next week. The Government is uncertain ‘on what to do with the indicted officials who have retired. The commission has indicted 21 police and intelligence officials.

Except those who were suspended before the commission came into being no mention has been initiated against anyone.

Mr. R.K. Dhawan, against whom investigations were undertaken by the Special Investigations Team (SIT), was exonerated in 1987.

The Government suspended Mr. HD. Pillai, Additional Commissioner of police (Secretary and Traffic) Mr. G.K. Gupta, Deputy Commissioner of police (security, P.M. house), Mr. D.C. Gulla Assistant Commissioner of police (P.M. House) Mr. Kanti Prakash Inspector, Delhi Armed Police (P.M. House) Mrs. S. Chaturvedi, S.L, Mr. Krishan Lal, Head Constable and Mr. Jagdish Singh, ASI, between November Sand 7.

A department enquiry was conducted by Mr. A.K. Basak a Joint Secretary in the Home Ministry against Mr, Pillai and Mr. Gupta who were exonerated.

The enquiry against Mr. Gulia is being conducted by Mr. K.S. Mehra Registrar of Cooperative Societies Delhi Administration. Another enquiry against Junior police personnel is being held in camera by Mr. R. Meena, Additional Commissioner of Delhi Police (Security).

The cell is gathering reports from various departments and monitoring the progress of the enquiries. It is working out modalities about action to be taken against others.

The Government is under pressure to punish those responsible for lapses, However, this may not be easy because it is argued if the Government can accept the SIT findings regarding Mr. Dhawan how can it reject the report of the Basak Committee. After all Mr. S. Anantram Director General of the SIT is an Additional Secretary and Mr. Basak was equally senior the government will not be able to apply two yardsticks sources in the Ministry say.

Interestingly the Government has not revoked the suspension order against Mr. Kanti Prakash Inspector DAP although he has been exonerated by the Thakkar Commission in fact, Justice Thakkar did not mention his name in his report. Yet he remains suspended.

HELP PROMOTE

WORLD SIKH NEWS

Article extracted from this publication >>  April 7, 1989