Staff crunch hits probe of grave crimes in Odisha

BHUBANESWAR: The Special Crime Unit set up to investigate organised and complex crimes in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack Urban Police Districts (UPDs) lacks teeth as it still does not have personnel and officers as per the sanctioned strength.

Sources said the government had sanctioned posts of one DCP and additional DCP each, three ACPs, nine inspectors, 12 subinspectors (SIs), three communication assistant sub-inspectors (ASIs) and 29 constables for the unit which started functioning from May 10.

However, the unit is at present functioning with one DCP and additional DCP each, two ACPs, as many inspectors and 11 constables. “The number of reports in the special unit has increased. Complaints are being filed via email and over the phone too. The unit was opened to investigate organised crimes, economic offences and cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act,” said a senior police officer.

“Investigation of cases is mostly taken up by inspectors and SIs. As we do not have the full strength of inspectors and not a single SI has yet been appointed, the quality of investigation and the number of cases that the unit can actually take up is getting affected, he said. Sources said the unit has taken up investigation of eight cases between May 5 and September 20. As there is no SI, six ASIs have been attached to the unit. The unit’s anti-fraud and narcotics wings have one ACP and an inspector each. The organised crime wing neither has an ACP nor an inspector rank officer. To ensure cases are investigated properly, each wing should have one ACP, three inspectors and four SIs, said police sources. In December 2021, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced the formation of a Special Crime Unit for the twin city.

The state government on April 29 upgraded the unit to a full-fledged police station where serious and complex crimes are registered, investigated and prosecuted. The unit has been vested with powers like the Special Task Force (STF) and the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Crime Branch. A victim can directly report a heinous crime or major financial fraud at the Special Crime Unit police station in Commissionerate Police headquarters here. It can also take over the investigation of complex and sensitive crimes from any police station under the Bhubaneswar and Cuttack urban police districts after receiving an order or getting permission from the twin city police commissioner.