Mumbai police will compile an offender’s report, make it tough to get employment, or leave the country without court permission.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in
The next time you have an altercation with a cop in Mumbai, count backwards from 50 or chant this: ‘I. Will not. Hit. This man.’ Exercising restraint, whatever the provocation, might make you really angry at yourself for a while, but it will save you from more serious consequences.
Last week, Mumbai Police Commissioner Dr Satyapal Singh issued a circular that effectively binds those assaulting cops in a series of ever-increasing troubles – miscreants might lose their passports and driving licenses, they may find it difficult to get work if they are registered with the Employment Exchange, they will need court clearance to leave the country, and will even suffer the ignominy of having lookout notices issued in their names at airports. If this wasn’t enough, the police can even request concerned authorities to not renew miscreants’ driving licenses, rental and other agreements and the accused will never get a police verification certificate when seeking employment.
The circular was issued after deliberating on the recent Azad Maidan attacks, when rioters turned on police personnel on duty. However, incidents of citizens having altercations with cops and assaulting them are on the rise, feels Dr Singh. In the circular, he says, “There is a possibility that the morale of the police force will be lowered if such attacks are allowed to continue without punishment. Attacking the police, who are the custodians of law, is like waging an attack on the state government itself.”
He adds, “The general public will feel that if the police cannot protect themselves, how can they protect the citizens? Hence, it is important that apart from the usual legal procedures that the police follow in the event of an assault, other deterrents are meted out to these criminals.” Hence, he recommends that such miscreants be taught a lesson by making things difficult for him/her in daily life.
Once caught and taken to the police station, a comprehensive report of the accused will be prepared, says Dr Singh. The report will contain the person’s fingerprints, photograph, residential and professional details, and copies of his PAN card, Aadhar card, passport, driving license and fire arms license (if any). The DCP of that zone will then sign off on the report and empower it to be sent with details of his crime to the passport issuing office, the Employment Exchange, all domestic and international airports (in the form of a Lookout Notice), the RTO and the person’s current place of employment.
That’s not all. Dr Singh says, “The police can refuse to issue character certificates or no-objection certificates to such a person. Further, the relevant RTO will be instructed to immediately cancel the person’s driving license or renewal request, and the company where the person is currently employed will be directed to mention this crime in their confidential reports.”
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(Picture courtesy www.thehindu.com)