The suspension that never happened

Satish Kumar Sharma

PERHAPS no other government department can match the police in fixing accountability of its staff. Suspension from service is, therefore, a common occurrence here. Even senior officers are not immune from it.

JD Nagarwala, an IP (Imperial Police) officer who was part of the team that investigated the Mahatma Gandhi assassination case, became the Inspector General of Police (state police chief in those days) in Gujarat in the 1960s. He was also the president of the Indian Hockey Federation; he got a stadium built for the police in Ahmedabad, using police resources and manpower. The government suspended him for ‘misusing government resources’. Now, while Nagarwala is long dead, the stadium not only hosts police events but is also used by schools, colleges and other organisations for sports and cultural activities — some misuse!

When I joined the IPS and became Superintendent of Police, I realised that the force I was heading had got used to harsh handling. Soft methods to discipline them did not work, in the short term, at least. I suspended subordinate officers whenever the situation required and had no qualms about it. But one incident taught me a lesson, after which I used this power very sparingly.

I was serving as Additional Commissioner of Police in Ahmedabad city when a murder took place in an area under my jurisdiction. A petty criminal had been stabbed to death in a drunken brawl among friends who had gathered in the evening in a corner of a school ground close to the police chowki.

Drinking in a group at a public place in a state with prohibition was in itself a serious matter, but what upset me more was the local people’s complaint that criminals gathered there every evening for drinking and gambling and cops did nothing about it. On asking the officers, I did not get a satisfactory reply. So, I asked the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) to fix the responsibility of the sub-inspector (SI) in charge of the chowki and send a report to me quickly so that I could take action.

The next day, the ACP brought his report to me. He was accompanied by the SHO of the police station concerned. I went through the report. It held the chowki SI prima facie responsible for negligence. I decided to place him under suspension. But the ACP said: ‘Sir, please do not suspend him. Give him another chance. We will take steps to improve policing in the area and show you results.’ I relented. I kept the report pending for further action.

Two days later, I received the ACP’s call in the morning. He informed me that the chowki SI had died of a brain haemorrhage the previous night. He added: ‘He was suffering from high blood pressure and had not taken leave despite the doctor’s advice to take rest. Nor had he shared this information with any colleague.’ I was too stunned by the news to thank the ACP for sparing me a major embarrassment and self-indignation.