Haryana Police officers violating rules on filing property returns: Lokayukta

The Haryana lokayukta has found the police department violating norms regarding the mandatory submission of annual property returns by public servants and has asked state director general of police (DGP) to ensure compliance of rules related to the acquisition or disposal of movable or immovable property by police officers.

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In a three-point recommendation, lokayukta justice Hari Pal Verma (retd) said that to ensure strict compliance of rules about the acquisition or disposal of movable or immovable property by police officers and filing of declarations within a time-frame, a monitoring cell should be set up immediately in the office of the DGP in Panchkula. The cell should be headed by a senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer under the DGP’s supervision, he said.

“A similar mechanism may be evolved in respect to public servants of other services of the Haryana government, according to the Haryana Civil Services (Government Employees Conduct) Rules, 2016, to ensure transparency, prevent maladministration and reduce corruption,” said the lokayukta’s voluminous annual report that was submitted to Haryana governor Bandaru Dattatraya on Tuesday.

“In 2022-23, it was observed that the requirement of submitting annual property returns by public servants and seeking permission from the department at the time of sale/purchase of movable/immovable properties are not being adhered to properly in the police department,” the report said.

The lokayukta said that Section 2(b)(iv) of the Haryana Lokayukta Act, 2002, provides for probe into allegations against a public servant in possession of pecuniary resources of property disproportionate to known sources of income. The rule provides for probe if property disproportionate to known sources of income is held by any member of the family of the public servant or by some other person on his behalf.

Property declarations need scrutiny

The report refers to the rules under which Haryana government servants are governed, including the Punjab Police Rules, 1934, that provides a detailed mechanism for control over the property held or acquired by the police officers during their service.

These rules provide not only the time-frame for filing the property returns by the new entrants but also a mandate to file the fresh declaration of property every year. These rules provide for forwarding of such declarations through the superintendents of police to the deputy inspector general for attaching the same with the annual confidential reports of each officer and for reaching the same to the inspector general in a time-bound manner.

“The provision for forwarding the declaration forms to the government for information by the inspector general (IG) calls for property declarations to be scrutinised by the government at its own level and then returned to the police department. The previous sanction of the IG is to be obtained in all cases of acquisition or disposal of immovable property by police officers,” says the report.

Proposals falling on deaf ears

The justice Verma report said though posts of joint registrar and supporting staff have been sanctioned, there is no space provided for smooth office working. A proposal in this regard was sent to the government but the same appears to have fallen on deaf ears, he said, adding there is no space to accommodate litigants, lawyers and government officials required to attend proceedings.

The visitors have to stand in corridors irrespective of their status, age or infirmity.

“The issue of space crunch was also brought to the notice of the financial commissioner, revenue, but no constructive result has come out, rather (than) helplessness conveyed. In this regard, a proposal was also sent to the chief secretary, Haryana, but till date no space has been made available for such visitors,” said the lokayukta.

Struggling at mercy of other depts

Flagging another issue, the lokayukta said that contrary to provisions of the Lokayukta Act, the institution has not been allowed to constitute its own staff strength/cadre and all regular employees are borrowed from different Haryana government departments.

“The institution is struggling at the mercy of other departments in establishment matters. Section 19(1) envisages that the lokayukta may appoint, in consultation with the state government, such officers and staff as he may consider appropriate for the discharge of functions under this Act. This issue has been raised with the authority concerned time and again and meetings were held with the chief secretary, but to no avail,” he said.