- Allahabad High Court observed police stations are engaged in commercial activities, not law enforcement
- Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal ordered UP DGP to probe Ballia police constable's transport business
- Disciplinary action directed against all officials of Rasra police station in Ballia district
Taking serious note of the functioning of police stations, the Allahabad High Court has observed that these have become places of commercial activities and policemen are constantly busy in business activities rather than maintaining law and order in the state.
With this observation, Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal directed the Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) to conduct an inquiry into a Ballia police constable's alleged transport business.
The court further directed the DGP and the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) to initiate disciplinary proceedings against all police officials and constables of Rasra police station in Ballia district.
The DGP has been directed to file an affidavit before the court detailing the action taken within 10 days.
The observations were made while hearing a petition regarding the blacklisting of the petitioner Harendra Yadav's truck by the Assistant Regional Transport Officer (ARTO), Ballia.
The blacklisting was done based on a report submitted by a sub-inspector concerning an ownership dispute between Yadav and Santosh Kumar, the constable posted at Rasra police station.
During the hearing, the court interacted with the constable who stated that he had withdrawn money from his GPF account and had started business with Yadav in the name of his brother. A truck was purchased and operated by Yadav.
The court found that the ARTO had blacklisted the vehicle solely on the basis of the report submitted by sub-inspector Shiv Murti Tiwari regarding the ownership dispute.
It was further noted by the court that in his affidavit, the Superintendent of Police, Ballia, had nowhere stated that any action had been taken against the constable for running a transport business while posted at the police station.
Expressing shock over the state of affairs, the court observed, "This court is shocked that police stations have become a place of commercial activities and policemen are indulging in business activities rather maintaining law and order in the state. If this be the condition then no law and order could be maintained as police stations have become a place of business." The court further observed that the officer in charge of Rasra police station and the SP of Ballia had protected the constable by submitting a report in his favour to the ARTO, who had blacklisted the vehicle and had restrained the transfer of the vehicle in question.
Against this backdrop, the court remarked that the entire police station appears to be involved in commercial activity as was apparent from the affidavit filed by various authorities and the averments made therein.
In this context, the court in its order dated July 27 directed the DGP to inquire into the commercial activities allegedly taking place at Rasra police station and ordered disciplinary proceedings against all police officials and constables posted there.
The court has posted the matter for further hearing on August 11.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
