<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
SECULAR\u00a0 STUPIDITY\u00a0 Vs. SNOOP SCANDAL\u00a0\u00a0 <\/b><\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Ram Kumar Ohri, IPS (Retd)<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n
We are living in interesting times.\u00a0 A verbal fracas has broken out on<\/p>\n
24\/7 television \u00a0channels\u00a0 about the\u00a0 due \u00a0protection given by the Gujarat<\/p>\n
police \u00a0to a \u00a0young girl \u00a0\u00a0whose father had sought help to protect \u00a0her from<\/p>\n
the alleged harassment \u00a0by \u00a0a\u00a0 suspected \u00a0stalker.<\/p>\n
The \u00a0\u00a0so-called snoop-scandal debate has degenerated to the lowest<\/p>\n
depth of a secularly stupid discourse which \u00a0ought \u00a0to have been avoided.\u00a0 The<\/p>\n
only \u00a0essential requirement is a simple one. \u00a0Those \u00a0questioning the legality of<\/p>\n
the police response to the call of the \u00a0distraught \u00a0father of\u00a0 the young girl must<\/p>\n
read the \u00a0\u00a0directions contained in\u00a0 Sections \u00a044 \u00a0and \u00a0145 \u00a0of the Criminal<\/p>\n
Procedure Code\u00a0 to understand the statutory \u00a0responsibility \u00a0assigned to the<\/p>\n
police.<\/p>\n
Section\u00a0 44\u00a0 of\u00a0 Cr.P.C. \u00a0requires that\u00a0 every Indian citizen aware of the<\/p>\n
likely commission of \u00a0a\u00a0 serious\u00a0 offence\u00a0 should\u00a0 forthwith give that<\/p>\n
information to \u00a0the police without fail.\u00a0 The action of the girl\u2019s father in<\/p>\n
seeking police help was \u00a0thus\u00a0 fully\u00a0 covered by law.\u00a0 He was seeking no favour.<\/p>\n
Now let us\u00a0 try to comprehend \u00a0the duty \u00a0which the criminal law imposes<\/p>\n
on the police.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0Section\u00a0 149\u00a0 of\u00a0 the Cr. P.C. lays down that\u00a0 \u00a0\u201cEvery\u00a0 police<\/p>\n
officer may interpose for the purpose of preventing, and shall, to the best of<\/p>\n
his ability, prevent the commission of\u00a0 any cognizable offence\u201d. \u00a0And that was<\/p>\n
all \u00a0that the Gujarat\u00a0 Police did.<\/p>\n
Most police officers, including me,\u00a0 have intervened to the best of\u00a0 their<\/p>\n
ability whenever such an incident\u00a0 was brought to their notice.<\/p>\n
So, dear news anchors and political activists, where is the need for a<\/p>\n
judicial enquiry?\u00a0 More importantly what do you expect the presiding judge of<\/p>\n
the Inquiry Commission to do beyond the directions given by law ? \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Period.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
SECULAR\u00a0 STUPIDITY\u00a0 Vs. SNOOP SCANDAL\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Ram Kumar Ohri, IPS (Retd) We are… more