Mumbai cops top city's annual corruption list
Mateen Hafeez I TNN

Mumbai: For the sixth consecutive year, the Mumbai police have topped the
city's annual corruption index. At the second place is the Brihanmumbai
Municipal Corporation, with 16 of its employees caught red-handed for
allegedly demanding and accepting bribes.

    According to the list prepared by the anti-corruption bureau (ACB), 29
policemen were charged in 16 cases related to graft, resulting in the
department topping the list for 2006.

    The 29 black sheep include a woman constable, who was arrested for
demanding a bribe of Rs 1,000 for returning the cellphone of a complainant,
and a sub-inspector and a constable who went to the extent of withdrawing
money from an accused's savings bank account using his ATM card in return
for shielding him in court. Asked to comment, former IPS officer Y P Singh
said, "Senior police officers themselves don't have impeccable integrity.
There is an informal ban on holding frank discussions on corruption in
official meetings and conferences. Sensitivity to moral values is also
declining very fast.''

    But in what may come as a relief for the department, no senior policeman
came under the ACB's scanner last year. The highest ranking cop to be
arrested in 2006 was suspended inspector Baban Kadam, who involved in a case
of disproportionate assets. In 2005, the ACB had arrested senior inspector
Sahebrao Survade of RAK Marg police station along with a constable for
accepting a bribe of Rs 40,000.

    Also, if the ACB's lists are anything to go by, corruption is actually
declining in the police department. In 2003, 60 cops were arrested for
demanding bribes, while in 2006 the figure plummeted by half.

    BLACK SHEEP

Police: 29 BMC: 16 Revenue: 12 Rationing: 8 Charity: 4 State Excise: 4



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