Maharashtra government empowers head constables to probe cases

A police official on Thursday said that the Maharashtra government has issued an order empowering personnel of the rank of head constable and above to investigate cases reported news agency PTIHe added that the order was issued on May 9The powers conferred by subsection 1 of section 176 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita aim to ensure investigations are conducted properly With the new order head constable and above are empowered to investigate the cases after the concerned rank official deputed by an officer in charge of the police station he said reported PTIPolice constable possessing graduation degree having completed seven years of service as constable as well as special training at Detective Training School in Nashik and having passed the examination held in such training No departmental enquiry must be pending against him the order statedMumbai police to get sixth joint commissioner will look after intelligence gatheringMeanwhile Mumbai police will get a sixth joint commissioner post which will oversee intelligence gathering an official said on Thursday reported PTIThe decision was taken by the Maharashtra government in the aftermath of the recent IndiaPakistan military conflict he addedBefore this order the metropolis police had five joint commissioners for law and order crime administration traffic and economic offences respectively he saidIn Mumbai intelligence gathering is done by the Special Branch which is headed by an additional commissioner deputy inspector general rank who reports to the joint commissioner law and order Now this branch will be headed by a joint commissioner who will be of inspectorgeneral rank the official explained reported PTIThe Special Branch monitors every development in the city collects intelligence inputs as well as keeps track of the activities of the sleeper cell and sympathisers he saidUnder the new mechanism the joint commissioner of the Special Branch will report directly to the commissioner and will also coordinate with the joint commissioner law and order the official added reported PTIIt will help in gathering intelligence and sharing information with superiors in a timely manner so that swift action can be taken At present the post of additional commissioner Special Branch is vacant and it is being looked after by the additional commissioner of police crime he saidWith inputs from PTIatOptionskeyd0ddb8ef8f1a62a8cdd22fac27fc5ea7formatiframeheight90width728params