'Induction of Bihar Police personnel in ACB unconstitutional'

New Delhi, Jun 12: Newly appointed chief of Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) Mukesh Kumar Meena today termed induction of five Bihar Police personnel into the unit as "unconstitutional" and sought Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung's intervention into the matter.

According to sources, Meena has written to the LG saying that appointment of five Bihar police officials in the ACB by Delhi government were in violation of section 3 of the Police Act, 1888.

As per the act, transfer and posting of police officers between two states police requires approval from the central government. Meena, sources said, has conveyed to Jung that neither Delhi government nor Bihar government had approached the Centre for approval in this matter.

They further said that Meena has also sought interference of LG in informing the Union Home Ministry and taking action in this regard saying that the appointments were done in an unconstitutional manner.

Five officers of Bihar Police had recently joined Delhi government's ACB on special request of the AAP regime to its Bihar counterpart. Delhi Police and ACB have recently come face to face after some of the former's men were arrested by the anti-graft unit for allegedly accepting bribe.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau of the Delhi government, which is probing a number of high-profile case, was barred from registering any case against the officers and political functionaries of the central government which includes the Delhi Police which works under MHA.

However, the high court held that the anti-corruption branch of the NCT government has the jurisdiction to arrest policemen while dismissing the bail application of a head constable, who was arrested by the ACB in a corruption case. The matter is currently pending in the Supreme Court.

PTI