Julio Ribeiro: An old police chief’s lament for the state of the force he once led

It is not pleasant for a former police commissioner of Mumbai to open the newspapers these days and read about the corruption allegations against Param Bir Singh, who was the city’s top cop until March. I was proud of being a member of the Indian Police Service for 36 years but when I learn that IPS officers have been reduced to begging for positions and even paying for them, I grieve for those who staff the service today.

I grieve also for the citizens who are to be served by those who have sold their souls to politicians, who will extract their price for appointing them.

The police commissioner of Mumbai was one of the city’s two important executive appointments, the other being the municipal commissioner. If these two officials did their duty in a spirit of service to the people, the people would not only applaud but also remember them for all time.

Allegations of corruption

Instead, the headlines claim that the transfers of 10 deputy commissioners of police ordered by the police chief were countermanded by two political heavyweights in exchange for Rs 40 crore, to be shared by the two political heavyweights who had intervened.

Now, if deputy commissioners have to collect this sort of money to right a perceived wrong,…

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