Chennai: Even as the top brass of Greater Chennai police is taking all efforts to make the force the real friend of the public, some men in khaki have lately brought disgrace to the department.
In the past few days, a Head Constable faced the heat for having facilitated prostitution and a Special Sub-Inspector was charged under POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act. Another policeman ran into trouble after he was allegedly caught in a compromising position with transgender sex worker.
In all these cases, these men, who were supposed to protect the public from evil elements, were caught in the act by the public themselves who handed them over to the police.
The news of Special Sub-Inspector K Vasu of Kolathur, who has only four months away from retirement, being arrested under POCSO Act has shocked many. He was caught for repeatedly flashing his private parts in front of a 10-year-old school girl in Villivakkam.
A grandfather himself, he was attached to the Madhavaram Milk Colony Police station and had allegedly been targeting the girl, who is in class five, for the last three months. It was a group of youngsters who caught him while he was misbehaving with the girl.
In the other case, Sathyaraj alias Sathish (26), a Grade-II Constable attached to Thoraipakkam police station, was allegedly caught in compromising position with a sex worker (from transgender community) in Pallikaranai.
A few motorists who noticed him go into the bushes at night followed them and started clicking pictures and videos. When Sathyaraj tried to flee, they intercepted him and abused him for indulging in such an act even while sporting the uniform.
After an inquiry, Thoraipakkam Assistant Commissioner Loganathan submitted a report to Joint Commissioner (South) C Mageshwari on Sunday. Sathyaraj has been moved to Vacancy Reserve.
In the third incident, Constable Parthipan was exposed for involving in prostitution and extortion. He had forged partnership with a sex worker, it is learnt. The Aminjikarai police have registered cases against him under three sections – Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act along with sections 323 (causing hurt), 384 (extortion) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC.
Parthipans link with the prostitution racket came to light after a woman called the police alleging that a man had snatched her wallet. A police inquiry revealed that she was a sex worker. On examining her phone, the police found that she had connections with Parthipan from the CMBT police station.
When questioned, she confessed that she and the policemen had been robbing her customers regularly.
Highly placed sources in the department said strict action would be taken against these policemen if the charges against them are found true. “Police personnel are supposed to set an example. This is a clear case of the so-called fence eating the crop and this will not be allowed to continue.”