GUWAHATI, Nov 24 - In a step towards bifurcation of crime investigation and law-and-order duties, the Assam Police has created a pool of 434 special police officials who would only be entrusted with the job to probe crimes of serious nature, especially those having inter-district and inter-state ramifications.
The number of such police officials would be increased in times to come when more recruitment would be effected in the rank and file of the police force. The complete overhaul vis-�-vis the bifurcation process is being planned in four phases.
A notification to this effect was issued by the State government on October 22 whereby the crime branch of the Guwahati Police Commissionerate has been given the status of Crime Branch Police Station to take up investigation in respect of crimes, including crimes of serious and special nature, cyber crime and economic offences, and crime having inter-district and inter-state ramifications.
The Guwahati Crime Branch Police Station will be manned by officials from within the list of 435 special police officials earmarked for the purpose of investigation only and it shall not comprise any police official except for administrative and operational requirements but such police officials shall not be entrusted with the duty of investigating any case. The entire exercise of bifurcation is being done at the behest of Gauhati High Court.
The development is in line with the Supreme Court�s direction to bifurcate crime investigation and law-and-order duty, although the compliance level, according to experts, has not been satisfactory in most of the Indian states.
In 2006, the Supreme Court in response to a petition filed by former Director General of Assam Police Prakash Singh issued a series of directions, including setting up a security commission at the state level and separation of investigation work from law-and-order duties.
Sources said the 435 special investigators would be subsequently trained by judicial academy of the Gauhati High Court and exposed to modern day techniques to effect foolproof investigation that would eventually help in increasing the conviction rate in the State.
