Who appointed Telgi-tainted top cop? Govt says we won’t tell you

Somebody scribbled the go-ahead in the margins of Shridhar Vagal’s personal file, and former police commissioner Julio Ribeiro wants to...

Somebody scribbled the go-ahead in the margins of Shridhar Vagal’s personal file, and former police commissioner Julio Ribeiro wants to know who.

The man became Joint Commissioner of Police in August 10, 2001, and allegedly accepted Rs 76 lakh from India’s biggest scamster Abdul Telgi for going slow on his cases. Now, he is in Pune jail.

The identity of the scribbler could well help investigators complete the jigsaw in Telgi’s circle of friends. Was it Chhagan Bhujbal’s home department or the Director General of Police?

Story continues below this ad

It wasn’t me, former deputy chief minister Chhagan Bhujbal has protested in the past.

Armed with his mint-new Right to Information, Ribeiro’s first stop was the office of Director General of Police S M Shangari.

The answer he got? No files/correspondence relating to Vagal’s appointment are available in this office.

Next stop, home department.Two days ago, Ribiero got a reply (see inset) saying his request is denied as the information sought was confidential, and would ‘‘impede the process of investigation’’ in the Telgi scam. This reason, Ribiero says, is absurd and he’s angry. Here’s why:

Story continues below this ad

First, there is nothing confidential about transfers and postings of an officer. Secondly, the information sought is only on the transfer. Vagal’s posting is not the subject matter of the investigations against him. In his application made on November 14, 2003, Ribeiro had sought a copy of file notes showing the authority which initiated and took the final decision pertaining to Vagal’s appointment.

Director General of Police S M Shangari is categorical. The DG’s office has no role in Vagal’s issue, Shangari said, adding, ask Additional Chief Secretary (home) U K Mukhopadhya’s office.

Mukhopadhya was not available for comment.

In Vagal’s case, the home department had taken the decision to appoint him as joint commissioner of police, though the DGP had not mooted such a proposal. ‘‘Under the rules of business, it was not essential that the proposal come from the DG’s office, since the department is empowered to make such an appointment,’’ a senior official of the home department said.

Reacting to the issue last week (when he still held the post of deputy chief minister), Bhujbal had told The Indian Express in Nagpur: ‘‘It is an administrative matter and I cannot say anything unless I see the relevant file. As of now I do not remember.’’ Riberio is not giving up. He is planning to file an appeal to the first appellate authority.