I Have A Lot Of Reservations At How Bureaucracy & Police Officers Are Behaving In The Country : CJI NV Ramana

The Chief Justice of India NV Ramana on Friday expressed his reservations regarding the behaviour of the bureaucracy particularly the police officers in the country.

"I have lot of reservations at the way of how bureaucracy particularly how police officers are behaving in this country!" , the CJI said.

CJI Ramana also indicated that he has considered constituting a standing committee for examination of complaints filed against the bureaucrats particularly the Police officers.

"I was at one time thinking of creating a standing committee to examine atrocities and complaints against bureaucrats particularly Police officers headed by Chief Justice of High Court. I want to reserve that, don't want to do it now" , the CJI said.

The remarks were made when a bench comprising CJI Ramana, Justice Surya Kant and Justice Hima Kohli was hearing a plea filed by a suspended Additional Director General of Police of Chattisgarh Gurjinder Pal Singh seeking protection in criminal cases filed against him.

While hearing the same plea, the CJI had earlier made scathing remarks on 'new trend' in the country where police officers extract money when they are on good terms with the government, and seek protection when time comes 'to pay back'.

"When you're good with government, you may extract, then you've to pay back with interest. This is too much, why should we grant protection to such officers? This is a new trend in the country." CJI Ramana had remarked on the last occasion

The CJI had also commented on the new trend of police officials siding with the party in power and later getting targeted when the opponent comes to power.

"State of affairs in the country is sad. When a political party is in power, Police Officials side with a particular party. Then when a new party comes into power, the government initiates action against those officials. This is a new trend, which needs to be stopped", the Chief Justice of India had orally remarked.

In relation to a case of extortion against the ADG, CJI had said "You have started extracting money because you are close with the government, this is what happens if you're close with government and do these type of things, you have to pay back one day, that is exactly what is happening."

Three special leave petitions have been moved before the top Court challenging the Chhattisgarh High Court's orders refusing to quash the FIRs against the petitioner for various offences including extortion, and sedition.

The State Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and Economic Offences Wing (EOW) had registered an FIR against Singh, under the Prevention of Corruption Act on June 29 after preliminary findings into complaints that he had allegedly amassed disproportionate assets.

On July 1, 2021, the residence of the petitioner was raided by the police and they allegedly found some pieces of papers in a drain behind the house of the petitioner which were later on reconstructed by them into some notes, criticise, statistics report against political party and against few representatives of the various wings of the State.

The contents of the reconstructed documents have been alleged to be illicit vengeance and hatred against the State Government and as a result of which, an FIR against him was registered against him for committing offence under Sections 124A & 153A of I.P.C.

Case Title: Gurjinder Pal Singh v. State of Chhatisgarh & Ors. ( SLP Crl 7193/2021)