Thaindian News

Panaji, Oct 8 (IANS) Information obtained under the Right To Information (RTI) act by a social activist indicates that the Goa chief minister’s office “interfered” in transfers of police officials. Chief Minister Digambar Kamat Thursday admitted he might have requested the transfers.
Then Goa Director General of Police B.S. Brar in his file notings, obtained through RTI by social activist Aires Rodrigues, shows that the chief minister wanted four senior police officials transferred in February last year.

“Placed in the file at page 38/c is a letter dated 25/02/08 received from special secretary (home) enclosing herewith a note dt 25/02/08 from honourable chief minister of Goa requesting to issue transfer orders in respect of police officers mentioned at serial number 1 to 4,” Brar’s note reads.

The note further instructs all superintendents of police concerned to execute the transfer orders issued on the request of the chief minister.

Rodrigues said that the noting shows the extent of political interference in matters related to policing. “Political interference in the police department and transfers is in defiance of the directives of the highest court,” he said.

Speaking to IANS, Kamat did not rule out requesting the transfer of police officials.

“I may have done it. I clear so many files. I do not exactly remember, but if there is a note then it must be,” he said.

The chief minister’s office was also under a cloud in another incident earlier this year, involving Customs and Central Excise Commissioner Chandrahas Mathur, who in his noting while releasing an offshore casino vessel being probed for tax evasion, had said that he had received calls from the chief minister’s office seeking quick clearance to the vessel, MV Casino Royale.