Chennai: Taking judicial note of the fact that the orders passed on June 13, 2019 and July 2, 2019, which directed the DGP to issue circulars to curb the menace of collecting “mamool and gift”, are implemented by the Director General of Police, the Madras high court has recorded its appreciation in favour of J.K. Tripathy, DGP/head of the police force, Tamil Nadu and directed the principal secretary to Government, home (police) department to enter this order of appreciation in the service records of DGP J.K.Tripathy.
Justice S.M. Subramaniam gave the directive while passing orders on two petitions from two policemen relating to their services.
The judge said with reference to the order passed by this court in the two petitions dated June 13 and July 2, 2019, the additional government pleader made a submission that the DGP has issued circular memorandums implementing the orders passed by this court. This court has taken a judicial note of the fact that the order passed on July 2 is implemented by the DGP on July 12 and the order passed on June 13 is implemented by the DGP on July 18. “This court thought fit that an appreciation is to be placed on record in view of the fact that, the DGP has swiftly implemented the orders passed by this court considering the importance of the directions issued in the above two cases in the interest of larger public. The way in which the orders of the high court are implemented deserves appreciation from this court”, the judge added.
While disposing of a petition from a retired police officer, challenging an order of punishment of censure imposed by the ADGP for allegedly collecting ‘mamool’, the judge had on June 13 directed the DGP to issue consolidated instructions to all the competent authorities to register criminal cases against the allegations of ‘mamool’ collections (demand and acceptance of bribe) under the provisions of PCA and IPC. “The Home Secretary and DGP are directed to issue guidelines/circulars/instructions for the purpose of improving the efficiency in controlling the ‘mamool’ collections in police stations and in public locations and acceptance of freebie by the police officials from restaurants, market places, vegetable shops, fish market, mutton chicken stalls. In the event of identifying any such offence, criminal cases are to be registered”, the judge had added and posted the matter for reporting compliance on July 24.
Subsequently, while disposing of a petition from S.Thennarasu, which sought to quash an order of deferment of promotion, the judge had on July 2, directed the DGP to issue a circular to all the police officers across the state with reference to the Rule 4 of the conduct rules, so as to avoid gift, rewards and dowry.
The judge had observed that in respect of the conduct rules, it was visible in the public domain that large number of flowers and bouquets were shared by way of gifts in the police department. Thus, the DGP was bound to remind the conduct rules to all the police officials so as to ensure that such costly flowers and bouquets or similar articles were not presented to any police officials. In this regard, the DGP was bound to issue proper circular to all the Subordinate police officials to ensure that Conduct Rules in this regard were being followed scrupulously in order to maintain discipline and decorum in the uniformed service, the judge had added.
