17 SRPF staff booked in Mumbai for not reporting to duty, deserting force
The State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) on Thursday lodged a first information report (FIR) against 17 of its personnel for allegedly not reporting to duty despite several warnings. The personnel were suspended earlier and were asked to be present for an inquiry. However, they continued to remain incommunicado. Inspector RL Puri of Vanrai police station in Goregaon (East) confirmed the development.
The FIR has been registered under section 14 (deserting force) of the SRPF Act, 1951; section 145 (misconduct by police officers) of the Maharashtra Police Act, 1951, and 56 (failure of officer in duty) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
According to Vanrai police, the FIR, a copy of which is with HT, was registered by a 57-year-old complainant Laxman Atkari, a personnel from SRPF’s unit 8 and head of the 17 suspended personnel.
Atkari’s complaint stated that Maharashtra is facing an outbreak, owing to which the Disaster Management Act is being implemented in the state and SRPF is entrusted with the responsibility of maintaining law and order. But the 17 personnel from SRPF constabulary have remained absent for a long duration and have been served with notices several times. Atkari has also made phone calls to them but did not receive any response.
While three personnel have been absent since February, four have been absent from March, eight from April and two since May. The personnel were suspended and were asked to be present for an inquiry but continued to remain absent after which the SRPF decided to lodge a criminal case against them.