382 and still counting

“Only three years are left for my retirement and I wish to double my record. I arrested the maximum number of PO’s last year when in August I managed to arrest 22 criminals. In April,I nabbed 10 POs,including two women. In the last one and a half year,I have arrested over 100 POs,” he beams.

Having netted the highest number of PO’s in the entire police force,he has been a recipient of a police medal in 2006 and scores of other commendation certificates. His list includes 10 per cent women.

Apprehending the accused is more of an art for him. He disguises himself as an electrician,a banker out to conduct verification,a courier man,as a friend’s relative to deliver a wedding invitation ,a cable operator,an insurance company agent,postman but never a policeman.

“That’s my trick to arrest them. Everytime I disguise myself and cook up a story to nab an offender. My team gets Rs 500 reward on every such arrest and that’s my biggest high,” says Des Raj,who is currently posted in the Crime Branch.

Arresting POs requires building up a network of informers and his single-minded dedication has won him laurels. “Sometimes even the PO whom I arrest treats me with a lot of respect as it saves them from getting insulted in the neighborhood.”

His work takes him places across the country. “Most of the times I get to know about their hideouts from their given addresses only.

I have saved a lot of wedding cards of my daughter and make use of them when disguised.”

Prized catches
PO for 15 years: In 2000,he arrested Punjab Roadways’ conductor Jagdish alias Darji from Agra. While he was booked in a corruption case in 1978,the court declared him a PO in 1985. Des Raj apprehended him from Agra in 2000. He disguised as a cashier and told the conductor’s wife that he has come to hand him a cheque and his signatures are required. His wife then disclosed his actual hideout in Agra.

Last week,he arrested a PO for last six years booked under Section 7 of the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act.