Delhi Police initiates vigilance probe over alleged multi crore financial irregularities
The Delhi Police Department is under scrutiny for alleged financial irregularities amounting to crores of rupees under the guise of minor works. A special team has recently been formed to verify these works and the expenditures incurred by the Delhi Police. This team will now verify all such works in every district and unit. It has been reported that Additional CP Vigilance Aslam Khan has been appointed as the chairperson of the committee.
Other members of the committee include Additional CP (General Administration) Pramod Kumar Mishra, DCP General Manager (Operations) of Delhi Police Housing Corporation Limited (DPHCL) Alap Patel, and Executive Engineer of DPHCL. They will verify the work carried out in police stations, DCP offices, battalions, and other units. For instance, if any work is being undertaken, photographs will be required both before and after the completion of the work. Additionally, solid bills will also need to be provided for the works. The committee members will conduct thorough inspections too.
Until now, there had been no record of the expenditures incurred for these minor works at various locations. This lack of oversight led to bureaucrats arbitrarily generating bills and forwarding them to the Police Headquarters. A senior police officer stated that the formation of this committee is aimed at curbing corruption within the department.
According to police sources, the current outstanding dues on the Delhi Police amount to over Rs 125 crore. For example, each of the 15 districts of Delhi Police has an outstanding debt of approximately Rs 7 to 8 crore. The outstanding debts for other units and battalions vary. This gives an estimate of the outstanding debts across the department. Highlighting an example of a district, another source revealed that a few years ago, around two crores were spent on the renovation of the DCP office rooms and other chambers. However, the police still owe for that expenditure. When another DCP took charge, they made changes according to their preferences, resulting in further expenses. This cycle repeats across almost every district, where officers spend money on renovations or furniture whenever they are transferred. A senior police officer mentioned that until a few years ago, a DCP could only spend up to Rs 15 thousand for any work. However, this limit was increased to Rs 1.5 lakh. Now, if a DCP needs to spend more than Rs 2.5 lakh, special approval from CP is required. If the expenses exceed Rs 2.5 lakh, approval must be obtained from the Police Headquarters.
Now, it can be understood how the expenditure reached millions when a DCP could not spend more than Rs 1.5 lakh. It has been revealed that a workaround has been devised. To avoid seeking approval, DCPs would inflate bills up to Rs 1.49 lakh, ensuring compliance with the rules while also getting the work done according to their preferences. Moreover, in each district, there are HAA and HAG branches where staff members are allegedly involved in corrupt practices. Despite the standing order of Delhi Police that no officer can be posted in these branches for more than two years, some staff has been stationed there for eight years. District-level officers cannot remove them, as their transfer is decided by officers at the Police Headquarters. These officers also allegedly tamper with records related to expenses.
Furthermore, vendors who secure contracts for minor works have formed their own lobbies. This lobby reportedly encompasses both casteism and socialism. Officers allegedly assign contracts to individuals from their communities or areas. These vendors are distributed across different areas, and disputes among officers have arisen over awarding contracts to them. Additionally, these vendors are reportedly influencing the postings of additional district-level officers according to their preferences. Cases of corruption amounting to crores of rupees have surfaced in the Delhi Police Academy. Nearly Rs 150 crore were spent on meals in one battalion. Fake bills worth crores were discovered in the outer districts, prompting an additional DCP to raise concerns against the DCP. Investigations were conducted into these cases, but ultimately, they were suppressed.
In one district, an additional DCP asked a vendor for the cost of a particular task, to which the vendor quoted Rs 10 lakhs. However, the officer arranged for the task to be completed online for Rs 25 thousand.
Later, the vendor revealed that the work could have been done for the initial quoted amount, but the money had to be distributed among various parties. The revelations have raised serious concerns about the financial management and transparency within the Delhi Police Department. Authorities are expected to take swift action to address these issues and restore public trust.