SALEM: A circular issued by the Salem district Superintendent of Police mentioning particulars of bribes received by police personnel and warning them was leaked on social media. Superintendent of Police (SP) M Sree Abhinav sent the circular to Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs) and additional Superintendents of Police (ASPs) in the district.
In the communication, the SP had stated that he had come to know of some personnel receiving illegal gratification from anti-social elements such as ganja peddlers, lottery ticket and liquor sellers and those involved in flesh trade, etc. Besides, they also collected money for petition inquiries and from subordinates every month, he said. The SP had detailed the bribe amount received by police station writers, sub-inspectors and inspectors, Special Branch (SB) personnel and highway patrol teams.
Warning the erring personnel, the SP instructed ASPs and DSPs to tighten vigilance and ensure a corruption-free administration. The communication, however, made it to social media. Speaking to TNIE, Tamil Nadu Makkal Urimai Katchi (TMUK) State president Poomozhi said calculating the bribe amount for all police stations in the State would peg the total at hundreds of crores in a year. “We should praise the SP in sending this circular by mentioning the bribe amount,” he mentioned.
“The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC), which raids various government offices, should conduct checks in police stations too. The SP now knows which police officials are receiving bribes. He must take action against the erring officials and release more such details,” Poomozhi urged.
In a tweet, BJP State president K Annamalai praised the SP for his ‘transparent effort’ to fight corruption. “At the same time, What is the Chief Minister MK Stalin, who administers the home affairs in the State, going to say about this? Has corruption soared in the police department after the DMK came to power?” Annamalai questioned. Meanwhile, TNIE’s efforts to contact SP M Sree Abhinav for a response went in vain.