‘Stand by what I have written; nothing against revenue dept’: Nashik Police Commissioner Deepak Pandey

A) The letter that I wrote to the DGP was not against the revenue department but was purely against the land mafia. Through the letter, I was not raising the question of who is honest or dishonest; I just want to ensure that there is a separation of powers. Currently, the revenue department possesses all the responsibility of maintaining the records of a piece of land, taking its measurements, registration and also transferring the ownership. So, the concept of separation of powers would ensure that fairness or fair play is maintained because every department has some bad apples and when these land mafias somehow manage to influence such officials, the coast is clear for them. If we want to ensure that everything is in check, then the powers should be separated; at least the magisterial power should be taken away from them and given to police commissioners of that respective district because this way it will be next to impossible for the land mafia to manage officials from two different departments. If this doesn’t work, there is always the option of reverting to the old system.

Q) In the letter, you called revenue officials ‘RDX’ and executive magistrate ‘detonators’. How would you justify the language that you have used?

A) Such a letter has been written for the first time since Independence, which means that what I am seeing is something which others are not. So, I wanted to ensure that I am explaining it well with certain examples. In terms of land, the revenue department is taking all the decisions and even the powers of an executive magistrate are given to them. So, there is no scope of correction. What I am trying to imply in my letter is that RDX is not a problem and even detonators aren’t but when they come together, they create a bomb that can explode. This can be misused by land mafias in certain situations. Even in armed forces, they keep both detonators and RDX separately and they are brought together only when it is necessary. Similarly, revenue department and the position of an executive magistrate here should be separated on the lines of how it is in Mumbai where the Commissioner of police is the executive magistrate.

Q) Did you come across any such instance that prompted you to write the letter?

A) In February 2021, a 70-year-old man was murdered. His throat was slit and during investigation, it came to light that a land mafia was the mastermind behind the killing. Later, we also came to know that his land was illegally procured by land mafia in 2015. As the mafia had already ‘managed’ the revenue department then, they got the records of a piece of land, its measurements and registration done in their favour. However, at the time of transferring the ownership of the land, the revenue officials seek our help and instruct us to provide police protection because a person is creating problems and not allowing them to transfer the ownership of the land to someone. And as they are also holding the position of an executive magistrate, we have to follow the instruction. But the 70-year-old in that instance was proactive and managed to get a stay from the civil court and subsequently, got a case registered against the land mafia. As he was creating problems for them, the mafias decided to kill him. This matter could have been resolved much earlier if police were given the powers of an executive magistrate. Apart from this, there are lots of other instances that I have come across and everything that I have written in my letter is evidence-based and not theoretical.

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Q) Did you ever think that your letter would cause such an outrage?

A) I knew that the letter would get some response from the revenue department because it is a path-breaking letter and nobody has ever written anything like this. Ajit Pawar sir has reacted in such a way because it was presented to him in that manner. If I am called and allowed to give a presentation, it may change his opinion. But I have already apologised to the revenue minister because I do not want to hurt anyone’s sentiments. Having said that, I stand by what I have written.

Q) Why do you think that it is necessary to dissolve the post of Superintendent of police from rural areas and transfer all their powers to the Commissioners?

A) We are wasting a lot of human resources on this because we have to give them a separate headquarter, police band, QRT, wireless and motor vehicle departments… Let’s just have one commissioner who keeps a watch on everything that happens in a district. Through this, we are also ensuring that the police personnel who are not as productive as they should be are also made to work and do actual policing… The existing system of city and rural policing is unviable and devoid of any logic.

Q) Do you think that this letter can lead to your transfer from the post of Commissioner of Nashik police?

A) Transfer is a normal thing that keeps happening periodically… I do not differentiate between posts.

Q) Recently, you had written another letter to the DGP seeking transfer to a non-executive assignment. What was the reason for it?

A) I asked for a side posting because there are other assignments that I have planned for myself. Like I want to start a health care center at my native place in Patna where I can provide free treatment to the people and post-retirement, this will be my full-time job. So, in order to stabilise it by the time I retire, I will have to visit my native place at least once a month.

Q) What changes do you think should be made in the police department to make it more efficient?

A) If you want better policing then the focus should be on making the personnel fit and healthy. It’s not like when someone goes to the police station, the policeman does not want to help or lodge their complaint.

They (the personnel) are sick and surrounded by illness and we should ensure they are free from that in order to see the best policing. For this, we are starting a naturopathy center for our policemen and the DG office has also approved it. They want me to give a detailed report on it. They are willing to assign a 100-acre land for the center in which the constables can come and stay with their family for 10 days and receive naturopathy treatment.