True to his word, Home Minister Gaikhangam has already begun to deliver the goods towards building an effective police force in terms of crime investigation. We are still to see how it works out in the field of prosecution. According to the Home Minister, he had given specific instructions to the police investigation officers (IOs) to frame a foolproof charge-sheet against the accused persons involved in the rape case of a housewife at Irom Meijrao on March 22. The crime investigation and prosecution wings of the Manipur police department had long been neglected by the top echelons of the police department and its administrative department which is Home department, citing law and order problems and insurgency, which in actuality was an excuse. Police officers right from the constable to the officer in-charge posted in the police stations were most of the time utilized in law and order detail, as the higher-ups consider law and order as top priority while neglecting the crucial wings of crime investigation and prosecution. These two crucial wings are in fact the face of the police force. Prowess in crime investigation and case preparation is what the general public expects from the police force, and certainly skills in staging fake encounters. The proposed face-lift and confidence building measures promised by the new Home Minister will not succeed if these crucial sectors continue to be neglected. The effect of such neglect coupled with corruption has led to loss of confidence among the general public towards the police force and the increased mob culture. The growing incidence of mob violence and vigilante justice is direct result of the vacuum created by police corruption and inaction towards crime investigation and prosecution. As winds rushes in to fill up the vacuum created by bush fire, the public while losing faith in adequate police action, takes law into their hands and delivers instant justice. So, police reforms in Manipur should begin by strengthening the investigation and prosecutions wings, besides the directives of the Supreme Court issued in 2006 in reference to the Prakash Singh v Union of India case. The directives sought to address the issue of politicisation of the police by regulating transfers, postings, and promotions; enhance its accountability through independent bodies; and strengthen its professionalism through regular performance appraisals. While this is true in the case of most police forces in the country, the case of Manipur and other conflict ridden states needs special treatment.
The Home Minister had said in a media briefing that he was confronted with some high voltage crimes ranging from rape to kidnapping and extortion involving state forces right from the day he took over charge. Yet, he has not relented and we are seeing results. Prompt action in the case of the rape incident led to the arrest of four accused persons including two IRB personnel. The Home department had meted out due punishment to guilty personnel involved in the drug smuggling on the Imphal-Moreh route and Narcotics Cell personnel including an Inspector involved in a extortion case. And recently, the police solved the rape and murder of a 44 year old woman with the arrest of the main accused from Kakching. Now, the preparation of charge-sheet and a watertight case will ensue. But still, the officers responsible for solving the crimes should be duly awarded and appropriate incentives should be given. While focusing their attention on doling out gallantry awards and out of turn promotions to the so-called police commandos, regular police officers manning the police stations had long been forgotten. Awards and out of turn promotion to these police officers will surely usher in efficiency in investigation and prosecution. And the department should start organizing capacity building workshops and orientation courses for the police officers by pulling in experts and retired police officers who has expertise in investigation and prosecution matters. Before signing off, we would suggest the constitution of a police reforms committee for the state.