Odisha constables, havildars get power to investigate petty offences
Debabrata Mohapatra | TNN | Jan 4, 2019, 17:03 IST
BHUBANESWAR: Bringing a significant reform in the Odisha Police, the state government has delegated power to constables and havildars to investigate petty offences, involving imprisonment up to three years. TOI has the copy of the home department’s resolution in this regard.
According to the home department’s order, constables and havildars with minimum qualification of graduation can investigate cases that fall under at least 33 sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC). The IPC has total 511 sections. Some of the IPC sections that the graduate constable and havildars can deal with are – 379 (theft), 292 (sale of obscene books), 294 (use of obscene acts and songs), 304-A (causing death by negligence), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons), 336 (endangering life or personal safety of others), 341 (wrongful restraint), 348 (wrongful confinement to extort or compel restoration of property), 447 (criminal trespass) and 448 (house trespass).
When contacted, DGP R P Sharma said he had sent a proposal to the home department last year to empower constables and havildars to investigate petty cases.
“Our purpose is to ease the pressure on the existing under-staffed investigators in police stations. Since we run short of investigating officers (IOs), we have to engage educated constables to take up investigations,” Sharma told TOI.
Sources said the police in Delhi and some other states like Kerala, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Maharashtra have been allowing their head constables to investigate petty cases. Sharma said modalities will soon be drawn to select the capable constables and havildars for the investigation task. The selected constables will undergo training on the procedures of registering case, collection of evidence, recording of statements and carrying out investigation.
At present, the assistant sub-inspectors (ASIs) probe such petty cases. Police said if the constables and havildars are allowed to handle such cases, the ASIs will get time to investigate into other cases. Usually, in police stations, inspectors look into all heinous cases including murder and economic frauds. Sub-inspectors look into cases such as attempt to murder and robbery.
Constables welcomed the decision.
“Many of us (constables) are graduates and know computer skills. But we work like orderly or peons in police stations and obey the instructions of seniors. Now we will feel dignified,” a constable said requesting anonymity.
The sanctioned strength of Odisha Police is about 72,145 personnel, including nearly 55,000 constables. A little over 8,000 constables have been deployed in all the 612 police stations across the state. The constables are only used to assist officers during raids and sending or receiving files. Normally, the police stations across the state register nearly one lakh cases every year. Currently, over 37,000 backlog cases plague police stations.
According to the home department’s order, constables and havildars with minimum qualification of graduation can investigate cases that fall under at least 33 sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC). The IPC has total 511 sections. Some of the IPC sections that the graduate constable and havildars can deal with are – 379 (theft), 292 (sale of obscene books), 294 (use of obscene acts and songs), 304-A (causing death by negligence), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons), 336 (endangering life or personal safety of others), 341 (wrongful restraint), 348 (wrongful confinement to extort or compel restoration of property), 447 (criminal trespass) and 448 (house trespass).
When contacted, DGP R P Sharma said he had sent a proposal to the home department last year to empower constables and havildars to investigate petty cases.
“Our purpose is to ease the pressure on the existing under-staffed investigators in police stations. Since we run short of investigating officers (IOs), we have to engage educated constables to take up investigations,” Sharma told TOI.
Sources said the police in Delhi and some other states like Kerala, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Maharashtra have been allowing their head constables to investigate petty cases. Sharma said modalities will soon be drawn to select the capable constables and havildars for the investigation task. The selected constables will undergo training on the procedures of registering case, collection of evidence, recording of statements and carrying out investigation.
At present, the assistant sub-inspectors (ASIs) probe such petty cases. Police said if the constables and havildars are allowed to handle such cases, the ASIs will get time to investigate into other cases. Usually, in police stations, inspectors look into all heinous cases including murder and economic frauds. Sub-inspectors look into cases such as attempt to murder and robbery.
Constables welcomed the decision.
“Many of us (constables) are graduates and know computer skills. But we work like orderly or peons in police stations and obey the instructions of seniors. Now we will feel dignified,” a constable said requesting anonymity.
The sanctioned strength of Odisha Police is about 72,145 personnel, including nearly 55,000 constables. A little over 8,000 constables have been deployed in all the 612 police stations across the state. The constables are only used to assist officers during raids and sending or receiving files. Normally, the police stations across the state register nearly one lakh cases every year. Currently, over 37,000 backlog cases plague police stations.
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