Noting the time of disbanding the SIU : Getting too adventurous ?
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: January 19, 2013 -

A case of barking up the wrong tree ? Or overstepping its briefs ?

The first question is important in the face of the explanation given by the SP of Imphal West Police that the Special Investigation Unit, which was recently disbanded, was set up specifically to investigate cases of vehicle thefts.

The second poser too is important in the face of the fact that instead of cracking down on vehicle thefts the SIU has been hitting the front pages of the Imphal based news papers for cracking down on drug smuggling.

Internal arrangement is the term that has been cleverly trotted out for setting up the SIU in the first place as well as in the unceremonious manner in which it was disbanded.

However clever use of terms and words can only have a limited impact. The timing of its disbandment is suspect.

It comes precariously close to a situation of political pressure being mounted to disband a team which may have the potential to upset the apple cart and embarrass the political establishment.

Remember the disbandment order was issued just a few days after the SIU team detected and impounded drugs worth Rs 1.4 crore from Tulihal airport on January 11.

Lending that touch of a political conspiracy a litte more is the fact that the Government and its agencies have not bothered to identify the owner of the consignment. It is common sense.

No small time street drug pusher or a marginal player could have been behind a consignment worth over Rs 100 lakh.

The argument thus is, was the SIU disbanded because it got too 'adventurous' in seizing the huge consignment of drugs and could have embarrassed some political heavy weights ?

Ignorance is bliss. Home Minister Gaikhangam seems to believe in this theory, if reports in some section of the media are anything to go by.

Ignorant of the setting up of the SIU, which by the way came up on May 6 last year, and hence ignorant of its disbandment.

Mr Gaikhangam very neatly tried to sidestep the question of why the SIU was disbanded at this point of time, but in attempting to sidestep an uncomfortable question, he has managed to only add more fuel to the speculations doing the round.

Not the way in which the Home Department should be run and managed.

It may be an internal arrangement, but in disbanding the SIU at this point of time, the State Police have only managed to serve the widely held belief that they are there to serve the political leadership and not the place or the people.

A line of thought which has taken deep roots down the years and such a conception of an institution which is there to uphold the law of the land cannot be healthy for anyone. Take note.

The disbandment of a special unit, which has at least been seen to be doing something effective, cannot remain in the realm of an 'internal arrangement'.

Disrespecting the intelligence of the public, it would be, if the State Police is under the impression that the people will buy their line of position that disbanding the SIU was purely a matter of an internal arrangement.