MUMBAI: Honesty and uprightness should be the criteria for anyone to be considered for appointment to the top post in the police department and not closeness to the political masters, former Mumbai police commissioner Julio Ribeiro (right) said.
“People should really have the pressure over such thing, then only upright officers will be promoted and the black sheep will be exposed,” he said.
Ribeiro said the CBI should probe the role of the police officers as well in the case involving Anil Deshmukh.
“Some police officers are not blameless. They are equally responsible for the mess in the system. Otherwise, the CBI only targets Deshmukh for political mileage. It should not happen else this probe will not have any value.”
Meeran Borwankar, who retired as DG of BPRD and NCRB, said money is paid sometimes to police and politicians as well as both for getting posting of choice.
“Occasionally and mostly during crisis periods, appointments are made on merit or honest officers are given important posts as a ‘window dressing’ exercise. This system has been adopted by all political parties.”
A sustained interest by citizens in administration and in the criminal justice system helps to remove the rot in the system, she said.
“I would like all of us to acknowledge that this kind of money collection is across departments and by all political parties. ... We must encourage and increase the critical mass of honest officers who can develop a strong voice instead of the forced silence they have resigned to as their fate today,” she said.