Demoted cop threatens to commit suicide; may face action

Amresh Parab

Panaji

In a show of indiscipline, a demoted police officer from the Goa police department has threatened Superintendent of Police (SP-Headquarters) Dharmesh Angle of committing suicide over the matter.

The demoted officer also said that the suicide would be attributed to the SP, sources told The Navhind Times.

The officer in question is among the six police officers who were recently demoted from the post of police inspector (PI) to the post of police sub-inspector (PSI). These six officers have criminal cases pending against them.

Sources said that the SP immediately brought the matter to the notice of superior police officers and subsequently through an official channel, brought it in the police records.

The incident occurred on January 19, the day the demotion order was issued. The police officer in question called SP Angle on his mobile phone to inquire if the ‘demotion order’ was ‘out’ (issued). The SP replied in the affirmative after which the demoted officer threatened to commit suicide, sources said.

It may be noted that the demotion order was not issued by the SP. The ‘demotion order’ was signed by the IGP.

Sources said that the erring police officer is likely to be reprimanded for the behaviour or could even face departmental action. The police officer had proceeded on several days’ leave after the demotion order was issued, it is learnt.

It may be noted that the Goa police department, in an order issued on January 19, had demoted six police inspectors (PI) to the post of police sub-inspector (PSI) over criminal cases pending against them. The police officers who were demoted are Sandhya Gupta, Terrance Vaz, Rahul Dhamsekar, Sushant Gawas, Vilesh Dhurbhatkar and Sunil Gudlar.

The order comes consequent to a judgment of the High Court of Bombay at Goa in a writ petition pertaining to the promotion of PSIs to PIs.

A senior police officer said that following the judgment, the Police Establishment Board (PEB) had reviewed the matter as per the existing guidelines/rules of all the PIs who were promoted on officiating/ad-hoc basis despite criminal cases pending against them.

The writ petition was filed by PSI Anand Narvekar in the court last year. The matter pertained to non-consideration for a promotional post merely on the ground that a criminal case was pending against him. Narvekar had cited the order dated June 30, 2022, passed by the Director General of Police, promoting four PSIs to the post of PI by specifically stipulating a clause in the order, stating that the promotions were subject to the final outcome of the criminal case registered against them and if they were convicted then they would be reverted to their lower posts.

“Such an approach of promoting during the pendency of criminal proceeding, that too in the police force, is not appreciated,” the Goa police had quoted the order of the court in its demotion order.