ACPs to supervise probe of mishaps to prevent offenders from easy bail

JAIPUR: All major traffic accidents in the city will now be investigated under the supervision of an ACP (assistant commissioner of police) rank official. The latest order aims to ensure that the accused does not take advantage of a weak FIR to get an easy bail. The new guideline stipulates that head constables and sub-inspectors posted at accident police stations must consult with their area ACPs before filing the FIR in accidents involving casualties or grievous injuries.It is likely to remove alleged connivance between the accused and the police station staff.
The traffic police’s fresh instruction comes barely a day after an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) posted at the accident police station (east) was suspended when he had secretly allowed Siddharth Sharma (24), accused of crashing into a scooter driver on Friday, to go home from the police station even before an FIR was registered against him.
“I have instructed all accident police stations that they must take directions from their ACPs before filing FIRs in major accidents. The senior officials will take a call under what sections of the IPC an FIR should be registered,” said deputy commissioner of police (traffic) Rahul Prakash, adding that so far head constable to sub-inspector (SI) level cops register a case as per their understanding of the case.
The sources said that often there have been allegations of junior staff deliberately filing FIR under bailable charges.
“Presently the head constables and SI registered cases. Even in major cases FIRs are not properly filed which goes in the favour of the accused,” an official said.
However, DCP Rahul Prakash said that from now FIR would be filed after a proper scrutiny.