By Dr. Naveen Joshi (Source pninews.com)

Bhopal:  POLICE   is normally perceived as Public Officer for Legal Investigations and Criminal Emergencies.  But in Madhya Pradesh there is a slight swing to this definition, thanks to a few men in uniform with multiple Stars on their Commanding Shoulders.

There are more than a dozen high ranking Police Officers having IPS pride with additional dubious distinctions adorning the state police cadre. Cases are in public domain where legally married IPS  “Saahebs”  responsible for ensuring  moral conduct of the society having  “happy times” with their female associates.

For a selected few high ranking officers, Khaki is Power and Power is the potent instrument for pleasure, both physical and fiscal.

It’s startling, these officers on high pedestal even after multiple accusations on various criminal charges and even after registering FIRs continues within the system untouched and with accumulated power and supremacy. The latest vivid case is that of Purushottam Sharma, a senior IPS officer of DGP rank. This law enforcement officer is accused of assaulting his legally wedded wife in public and even after the video of the attack went viral he remains nonchalant.   

In fact Sharma when posted in the State Crime Records Bureau was accused of financial frauds. He allegedly purchased substandard computers and other equipment at an exaggerated price.  After a preliminary investigation a case was registered against Maria Kumar and other concerned at EOW Bhopal, and further investigation on the “fraud” found the allegations were true.

Much to the embarrassment of the Shivraj Singh Chauhan’s BJP Government in Madhya Pradesh the latest incident of  Purshottam Sharma beating  his wife in now public realm.  The indecent incident has provided a handle to the opposition to confront the chief minister who is struggling to wriggle out of the siege from his own party adversaries.  Accusation of sexual harassment and domestic violence is not new to him.  In 2008-09, Purushottam Sharma’s wife Priya Sharma had filed serious complaints related to violent sexual harassment, and domestic  atrocities in the Bhopal Women’s Police Station..

The then woman police station in-charge Sunita Sumo had persuaded Priya Sharma, who reached the police station late night,  at the behest of senior officials. However, the next day the police station in-charge, along with sub-inspector Seema Patel, took Mrs. Sharma’s statement. But as of now the case remains dumped in the files. Earlier, Chetna Sharma, sister-in-law of Purushottam Sharma, had also filed a case against him for sexual harassment and misuse of Power and Position.

There were orders to register an FIR, but the matter was concealed with the intervension of senior officials. During posting in the cyber cell, Purushottam Sharma rented a flat in Faridabad, without the consent of the Government. Even the then DGP Madhya Pradesh was not informed of his new flat. Later he was shifted  from cyber  after  the department could gather evidence of Sharma’s “ happy associations” with multiple “female  links” like  including Shweta Jain, Barkha Bhatnagar, who were subjects of the infamous honey trap episode.

From then on, even after being sent as Director Prosecution, his handiwork continued and he was caught red-handed in the cozy company of a young  lady TV anchor at her private place  on 26 September.  

In a similar unsavory situation the government had to remove another officer of the same batch (1986) from Special DG position on the findings that a young woman of half their age was kept captive as mistress.

In another case SP Mukesh Gupta, posted in Ujjain in the undivided Madhya Pradesh, who later became Special DG Chhattisgarh, was also reverted from DG to ADG in a case related a similar sleazy incident and he is absconding .  A murder case has been charged against this officer in question connected to his illicit relations with a female medical doctor Mickey Vajpayee in Ujjain. It is being said that there are children in this relation.

There have been incidents of seniors abusing female juniors in the Force.  The incident of an IG level officer in Indore reportedly tried to physically abuse a lady officer, in the Officers Mess.  A Transport Commissioner, fond of female company was some time back linked to a suspected murder of a lady in the posh residential area of Ayyashi in Bhopal, where the controversial Officer also resides. In a spate case relating to sexual abuse   a senior police officer  of  Dewas,  was booked  for molesting  his lady constable.

While being Chambal IG, IPS officer VK Panwar alias Tiger, in the year 1996-98, had “good times” with two young women of the Garhwali community. The officer has retired as a Special DG and a case of corruption against him is reportedly proceeding in the Lokayukta.  

Its highly shocking, there are unconfirmed reports of the BJP Government in the state of Madhya Pradesh considering to hand over the reins of law and order to a tainted police officer charged for multiple corruption and assaulting own wife.

“Corrupt and incompetent police officers have a long history of being protected by their colleagues, police internal affairs and the government……It is the common people’s duty to police the police.”- Steven Magee