BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court has sought the details of infrastructure provided to the CEN (Cyber Crime, Economic and Narcotics) police stations in Bengaluru. A division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Sachin Shankar Magadum passed the order after issuing a notice to the state government.
The bench was hearing a public interest litigation filed by Sudha Katwa, advocate. Aggrieved by the alleged poor functioning of eight CEN police stations in Bengaluru due to shortage of technical staff, skilled police and resources, the petitioner stated that she had visited those stations along with her colleague for a reality check and found it to be true.
Though a representation was submitted to the respondentauthorities such as the Chief Secretary, the Director General and Inspector General of Police and the Commissioner of Police to take corrective measures immediately, no steps were taken by them, the petitioner claimed. Hence, she has approached the HC with the PIL, she said.
The petitioner contended that the DG and IGP submitted a proposal to the state government in October 2019 to set up CEN police stations and provide a total 240 staffers -- 30 for each police station in each sub division. In response to this, the government in December 2019 sanctioned eight stations within the limits of Commissioner of Police and also fixed staff strength in respect of each station totalling 56, instead of 240.