Now, officer to probe only one case a month

AURANGABAD: The acting commissioner of police

Milind Bharambe

is all set to make it mandatory for investigation officers to probe one case every month that includes completing the investigation and filing of chargesheet.

The move is aimed at improving quality of investigation, filing of timely chargesheets and improving the conviction rate.

Bharambe believes the move will not only bring down the stress level but would also bring a serious check on the alleged attempt of policemen getting in to unethical practices. The 1997 batch IPS officer has termed his pet project as Nelson system.

“Investigation officers across ranks are overburdened with number of cases. We can expect quality as well as efficient investigation resulting in to conviction, only after the burden on these men is reduced,” he said.

As part of his strategy,

Bharambe

has called for list of existing investigating officers in Aurangabad city. This will be followed by increasing the number of investigation officers. “We would be using state GR issued in 2005 for increasing the number of IOs. The GR states that the petty offences can also be probed by constables,” said Bharambe.

Already the pattern is being followed in Aurangabad range, where all investigation officers, for over six months are being allotted just one case a month.

As per the pattern followed by Maharashtra police, constables are not given any investigation role. It is after they get promoted to the rank of

Naik

police constable (NPC), they are given a choice of completing a three-week long course at Detection Training School,

Nashik

.

It is optional for policemen till the rank of assistant sub-inspector to become an investigation officer or not. Those not opting to become an IO are given other tasks including patrolling, law and order, regular bandobast, VIP bandobast, clerical, back office and other such tasks.

The NPCs, after completing the course successfully, are appointed as investigation officers in minor cases involving petty thefts and accidents. The head constables as well as assistant sub-inspector, who are IO, are given cases that are tried by judicial magistrate first class and attract maximum punishment of less than 10 years.

The police sub-inspectors do not have a choice of not becoming an IO. They along with the assistant police inspectors and police inspectors are given cases tried by the sessions court and attracting over 10 years of punishment. The police inspectors are given more complicated cases including under those related to cybercrime and murder cases when the accused as well as the deceased remain unidentified.


Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don't miss daily games like Crossword, Sudoku, and Mini Crossword.