Akshay Azad
Early Times Report
jammu, July 28: The silence of Jammu and Kashmir Police department against a cop, whose involvement was prima-facie established by State Vigilance Organization (SVO) for accepting gratification from victims to the tune of Rs. 1.50 Lakhs, is very intriguing, that portrays the attitude of heads to shield corrupt.
Sources informed Early Times that in the contempt OWP No. 157 of 2014, titled Bano/Owais Ahmed, the respondent (Owais Ahmed) the then Director Vigilance SVO, through counsel Sr. Additional Advocate General (Gagan Basotra) had submitted before High Court that SSP (Vigilance) Udhampur conducted a verification regarding allegations leveled by complainant ( Bano) wife of Ghulam Ali resident of Village Jagir Ghordi, tehsil Ramnagar, Udhampur against the then SHO PS Ramnagar, Deepak Pathania (accepting bribe of Rs. 1.50 Lakhs) and submitted his report to this headquarter vide his report no. SSP (Udhampur)/2014/3925/VOJ dated 2/12/2014.
"Worthwhile to mention here that allegations of gratification have been prima-facie established by SSP Vigilance Udhampur. Consequently, a case FIR no. 31/2014, P/S (VOJ) U/S 5 (1)(d) r/w section 5 (2) PC Act-2006 BK was registered in P/S VOJ against the said erring officer and investigation of the case was set into motion", the affidavit submitted before High Court on 4/12/2014, reads as.
Moreover, the Division Bench of State High Court in the much publicized PIL titled Sheikh Mohammad Shafi Vs Union of India and others held that if a person/'officer faces serious allegations of corruption then he should not be given a public dealing post. "But in this case senior officers apparently provided a shielding cover to the SHO concerned enabling him to exert undue pressure upon victims", sources said, adding that no action was taken by higher police authorities, despite allegations of gratification were prima-facie establishment by VOJ.
They further said that the case in the VOJ was about to close but still there was no action from police headquarters Udhampur and SHO has still been holding the prime post.
"This case also exposes the modus-operandi of police department to arrest as much as people in every case and release one after another allegedly under one pretext or another", sources alleged.
According to the complaint filed by Banoo wife of Ghulam Ali before State Vigilance Organization (SVO), she had submitted that an FIR no. 60/2014 dated, 5/7/2014 under section 302 RPC was registered in PS Ramnagar and in pursuance of the FIR, eight to ten persons were apprehended/detained by police including Koob Ali S/o Ghulam Ali, Tariq Hussain S/o Khan Mir and Gaav S/o Ghani.
"When no incriminating evidences were found against Koob Ali, Tariq Hussain and Gaav, the SHO Deepak Pathania demanded a bribe of Rs. 1.50 Lakhs (Rs. 50,000 each) from kith and kins for their release", Banoo had submitted.
She had further submitted that she along with two others paid Rs. 1.50 Lakhs to the then SHO Ramnagar and had appealed before SVO to file FIR against SHO and had also submitted three affidavits.
"She had submitted before SVO to file FIR against SHO, but SVO initially refused to file FIR, after which Banoo had filed a contempt OWP No. 157 of 2014 titled Banoo v/s Owais Ahmed", sources said, adding that while submitting their response before HC, the then Director had submitted that after enquiry by SSP Vigilance Udhampur, allegations of gratifications were prima-facie established against the then SHO Ramnagar. |
