Take approval to change sections in serious cases: Ghaziabad CP

Ghaziabad: Police investigators in Ghaziabad have been directed to seek approval from senior officers before making key changes in serious criminal cases. Investigators will now require permission from deputy commissioners of police (DCP) or assistant commissioners of police (ACP) before altering charges under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) or the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), or before adding or removing names of accused.

The direction, issued by Ghaziabad commissioner of police J Ravinder Goud on Tuesday, relates to four category of cases – those related to serious crime like rape, murder, robberies etc, those related to the SC/ST Act, cases like attempt to murder, extortion and causing previous hurt, and cases related to cheating, impersonation.

“As per the new directions issued by the CP, investigating officers taking up such cases will need approval of the concerned DCPs before adding or removing any sections or adding or removing names of suspects. The new procedure has been directed to ensure transparency and also to root out malpractices which affect the complainants and case investigation,” said DCP (city zone) Rajesh Kumar.

Officers said that such changes in other crime cases will be done only after the approval of the concerned ACPs.

“For compliance of the process, separate registers will be maintained at the office of DCPs and ACPs and all such addition/deletion of names or sections will be registered. A list of all such approvals will be made available to the CP for monitoring and regulation. Any deviation from the process will attract strict action against the concerned officers,” DCP added.

In a series of measures taken up for “citizen-centric policing”, CP Goud has rolled out several measures since he took charge on April 17.

So far, he has directed for doorstep delivery of FIRs to the house of the complainants and on Monday it was also directed that traffic head constables will not be allowed to issue challans.

The CP has also directed that any cross-FIR complaints will have to be thoroughly inquired by a different police circle, and would need approval of senior officers before they get registered as an FIR.