Ex-Mumbai police chief calls for transparency

After venting his feelings on his abrupt transfer to an insignificant post, though with a promotion, ex-Mumbai Police Commissioner P. S. Pasricha is now stoic about the entire rigmarole of transfers by the Maharashtra government.

"Yeh sab chalta rahega" (All this will go on), he told Gulf News. As he prepared to go through his files and complete unfinished work, he said the two types of reforms that the police badly needed were transparency and bringing the people closer so that they have faith in the police force.
During the 70-day tenure, "I brought in transparency in the transfer and promotion of officers and policemen. In fact, I transferred 1,500 men in the force."

He did not want to comment when asked whether the transfers were made especially to bring down corruption within the Mumbai police force.

He had even zeroed in on the police stations where corruption was said to be high. "What is important is that no one should feel they have been meted out injustice.

"Moreover, I strongly believe the police force should come closer to the people and take their help to improve the system."

Though Pasricha himself tried to bring in transparency in the police force, his transfer by the home ministry was not only a secret but was apparently done with political motives.

Several reasons have been cited for his transfer, the foremost being he was not pliable and took decisions on his own without resorting to the advice of bureaucrats and politicians.

He did not even post some officials where the government wanted them to go. With elections looming, the government felt the need to take control of the entire gamut of transfers and rein in the powers of the police commissioner.

Most importantly, news reports reveal that Sharad Pawar wanted A. N. Roy, who was until Tuesday the police commissioner of Pune, to be named as the Mumbai police commissioner. Roy is expected to take over his new post today or tomorrow.

Pasricha has decided to go on leave for 10 days after handing over the charge to Roy. Roy's experience in Mumbai was that of a joint commissioner (traffic) some two and a half years ago.