KATHMANDU, MAR 12 - Home Minister Bamdev Gautam has said the government will step up vigilance on organised crime , stressing that the recent arrests of a number of infamous gang leaders in the Capital was in line with his plans to fight crime across the country.According to Gautam, a majority of organised criminals were either in police custody or were at large after Senior Superintendent of Police Ramesh Kharel assumed office as chief the Kathmandu Metropolitan Police Range last month.
“Now all of them will find themselves behind bars soon,” Gautam said in his first inspection visit to Nepal Police Headquarters in Naxal on Tuesday.
Police Range Hanumandhoka had launched a special operation for two weeks last month, during which 48 known criminals were arrested for their alleged involvement in public offence, attempted murder and extortion.
Some of these infamous gangsters include Tejendra Gurung, a loyalist of notorious don Deepak Manange, and Panche Lama of Kavre.
Police have also arrested Mahesh Bahadur Singh who is known for lending money at usurious interest rates. He was arrested from Tripureshwor on March 7.
Gautam said criminals were getting protection from political leaders.
While warning police officials not to “run after cheap popularity”, he said he will not intervene with the police administration and will allow it to function independently.
AIG promotions soon: Gautam
Meanwhile, DPM Home Minister Bam Dev Gautam on Tuesday said the appointments of Additional Inspector Generals of Police will be made within a few days.
Seven positions of AIG are lying vacant for the past five months. “The promotions will be made on merit basis, within two or three days,” said Gautam.
Incumbent DIGs Rajendra Singh Bhandari, Surendra Shah, Narayan Bastakoti and Bigyan Raj Sharma are among some eligible for the position.
The government has failed to fill the vacancies of AIGs despite the promotion of Upendra Kanta Aryal to Inspector General of Police. All the AIG aspirants are the batch-mates of IGP Aryal.
AIGs are responsible for running Operation Depart-ment, Administrative Depart-ment, Human Resources Development Department, National Investigation Depa-rtment, Office of IGP, National Police Academy and the Metropolitan Police Commissioner’s Office. These departments are currently led by Deputy Inspector General (DIGs).
The complications in appointing the AIGs arose after the Supreme Court in May last year asked Nepal Police to include the general theory of Public Service Commission before appointing or promoting DIGs to AIGs. While there used to be no role of the Police Headquarters in promoting and appointing DIGs, this theory envisions a committee led by the Home secretary and including the IGP as the member secretary to review candidates’ files and allocate merit points.
This amended version of Nepal Police Rules (1992), however, is yet to be approved by the Cabinet. Since the PSC-served deadline to implement this new rule has already expired, Gautam said, they will seek permission from the Commission to fill the positions on the basis of the existing guidelines.
