Mumbai police commissioner shunts cop, shows he means business

MUMBAI: Mumbai police commissioner Subodh Kumar Jaiswal’s message to his team is loud and clear. A month after he took over from Datta Padsalgikar, Jaiswal made it clear at the first crime conference itself that under no circumstances would he tolerate indiscipline, laxity, and corruption.

A week ago, a high-ranking judicial official was taking a walk on Marine Drive. On spotting speeding bikers, he brought it to the notice of a senior inspector of police, on nakabandi duty nearby. He did not reveal his identity, though. Instead of assuring action, the cop made a cheeky comment.

When the entire episode was brought to Jaiswal’s notice, he shunted him to the special branch, considered a side posting.

In his interactions with police officials of all ranks, Jaiswal has always iterated: Ensure the image of Mumbai police is not tarnished.

While the cop has been shunted in this case, senior inspectors could do with some lessons in people skills, especially since they do not attend any refresher courses or training programmes after graduating from the police academy.

The change-maker

Charity commissioner Shiv Kumar Dige has been transferred to the Bombay high court as registrar (inspection). While transfers are a routine affair for officials, it is different in the case of Dige.

Dige’s presence as charity commissioner was felt in all walks of life. When he found a large number of farmers were committing suicide since they had no money for the marriage of their daughters, Dige swung into action and drafted an action plan to provide financial aid to aggrieved families. He also helped organize mass marriages of over 3,000 girls.

Treatment of the poor in charitable hospitals was another landmark step. Bombay high court had drafted a scheme to reserve 20% beds for poor and 10% for indigent patients, but the scheme was not implemented in letter and spirit. Dige interacted with trustees of charitable hospitals and ensured no poor patient is refused treatment.

He was also instrumental in setting up 26 dialysis centres across the state as well as drafting a project for a beggar-free Maharashtra.