Corruption in police force symptom of terminal illness

Corruption in public life is an all-pervasive phenomenon in India. It is well known that nothing moves without greasing the palms of the officials. Much of the inefficiency in the administrative structure owes itself to corruption rather than incompetence of the officials. But if corruption enters the law enforcement and judicial systems, it undermines the ability of these vital organs which provide the very backbone to the system thereby shaking the faith of the people in the government.

It wrecks the system from within and smothers hope of protection as well as justice, two key functions that constitute foundational structure of the state. A report in this daily has highlighted the deep forays the termites of corruption have made into the police, the guardians of law and protectors of people’s life, liberty, property and freedom.

Perhaps not many readers would have felt shocked to read the mounting cases of police officials suspended, dismissed and facing inquiries. The reports put the number of police officers facing trials for misuse of authority and involvement in corruption in the state to be close to two thousand. Even before the controversy over PSI Scam could die down, the suicide by Police Inspector Nandeesh, posted at K. R. Puram has brought to light the depth of corruption in the force responsible for law enforcement.

Coming as it does in the wake of countless allegations of corruption from contractors and others, there does not seem to be much scope for disbelieving corruption to be the reason behind the suicide by the officer. The purported comments in social media by Minister Mr MTB Nagaraj further reinforce the accusation that the dead officer was under pressure to mobilise a huge amount of money for either a better—read more lucrative—posting and sought relief from pressure by inflicting death on himself.

It was not long ago that an Additional Director General of Police (Amrit Paul) was arrested on the charges of involvement in the PSI Scam. Prior to this, two officers of SP rank were suspended on the charges of accepting bribe from Mansoor Khan, the owner of the IMA Ponzi scheme in 2019. These incidents are enough proof of the widespread corruption and the deep rot within the Karnataka police. In a political system deeply mired in corruption, no one can remain immune to the affliction.

The individuals recruited to the police are part of the same social milieu which is the victim of widespread graft in the administration. Not merely recruitment (as is the case of PSI scam), they are expected to pay their superiors for favourable postings and transfers. Grapevine has it that postings at more remunerative (in terms of bribe) locations such as business hubs in cities are regularly ‘auctioned’ and assigned to highest bidders.

It then goes without saying that such officials mobilise the needed resources not merely through bribery but also extortions and misconduct. Prosecuting police officials implicated in acts of corruption is a conundrum which law and order machinery notoriously fails to tackle. It is why such afflictions are mostly viewed as terminal illness of a system. We need to ask ourselves, are we (God forbid!) reaching that stage