Mumbai: Asserting that there has been no ‘political interference’ in the functioning of the police department by the incumbent BJP-led Government in Maharashtra, Mumbai Police Commissioner Dattatray Padsalgikar has praised Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is also the state’s Home Minister, for being ‘extremely prompt’ in decision making and clearing the files.
During ETV’s popular ‘The J C Show’, when asked to rate Fadnavis as a Home Minister, decision maker and in swiftness in clearing up the files, Commissioner Padsalgikar said, “He is extremely prompt.”
ETV News head Jagdeesh Chandra, who was hosting the show, went ahead further and asked, “I am told that you are the personal choice of the Chief Minister. He relieved you from Delhi. Downgraded the post and made you as the commissioner. So, is he so fond of you?”
“No. Such information is not right. I had to come back to state. The process had started earlier. When, I came, at that time the talks were going on regarding this post. It was just a
coincidence,” Padsalgikar replied.
Refuting any interference by the government in the functioning of the police force, he said, “I have not faced any such thing till now.”
Padsalgikar expressed concern about thousands of vacant posts in various levels of the state police department, but, assured that recruitments are on and they are swiftly working towards addressing the issue.
“There are vacancies of about three-four thousand. We will complete the recruitment by next month. By that some more will retire. So, this is an ongoing cyclic process. There is need to make a balance on police man power by using technical inputs, technical gadgets.
“Normally, they want the vacancy should remain to minimum possible. The recruitment process is such that the posts that get vacant every year are filled with new ones. By the end of year, some posts remain vacant. But, that is not much in number,” he added.
Emphasising on the urgent need to monitor and curb the rising cyber crime, the Police Commissioner said the department is recruiting experts in the field and are taking steps to stop the misuse of social media.
“In General case we approach the service providers to stop spreading the information and try to catch the person involved in this,” he said. (ANI)