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Editor's Note:
We have received this letter from Mr. Abhishek
Kumar who claims to know Amitabh Das, the IPS
officer currently in the midst of a personal
scandal. We are printing it as it is and do not
endorse or oppose it in any shape, mean, or form
since we don't personally know Mr. Das nor we
know who Mr. Abhishek Kumar is. Readers are free
to form their own opinions but please don't send
any comment on this letter to us. Thanks.
It
is very sad to note that a slanderous campaign
is undergoing against an upright police officer
of Bihar. The most disappointing aspect is the
role of media here. I have access to only
internet editions of the news coming from Bihar.
Whatever reporting I have seen on this has
mostly shown a tilt towards sensationalisms.
Whoever has tracked Amitabh's police career
closely and/or knows him personally will
vouchsafe that he is man of impeccable personal
integrity. He is not run of the mill police
officer who are mostly after plum postings and
pecuniary gains and for that ready to compromise
and bend the rules to please powers that be.
I have known him for last 25 years since the
days when we were studying in the same school in
same class. Even in student days he maintained
friendship with only those who shared
progressive ideals and liberal values with him.
He is a staunch critic of casteism and devout
champion of religious harmony. The same has
reflected in his career as police officer
throughout. On numerous occasions he has
demonstrated his deep commitment to his ideals.
I am reminded of occasion when he refused to
attend his own eldest brother's marriage. The
reason being that even though his family had not
asked for any dowry there were gifts from
bride's side and Amitabh wanted the family to
refuse the gifts and set an example. It is not
easy to forego your own brother's 'barat'. But
then this is what his mental makeup is. I was
aghast to see charges by the 'lady' in question
that he has asked 'one crore' dowry from her!
She has not substantiated her charge despite
being challenged to do so.
When he joined Indian Police Service, right from
the word go he has shown what a police officer
should really be like. There was a case when a
woman came to police station in Muzaffarpur town
thana (Amitabh was a probationer that time) and
complaint of some people harassing her. The
people in question happened to be family members
of one powerful politician from ruling party.
Knowing this the staff at police station was not
lodging the complaint. Amitabh got the complaint
lodged and acting promptly got the accused
arrested. As is vogue in Bihar immediately he
was being pressurised by his higher ups to
release the guilty. He refused to buckle and
dismiss the case. As a result his body guard and
driver was taken away on some pretext. That also
did not deter him.
Progressing from there on each of his postings
he has left his mark of an upright officer,
whether it was as SP, SC/ST cell, SP, Railways
or SP of Naxalite infested districts. He has
refused to be part of 'hafta' network which has
made the administrative network hollow in Bihar.
This swimming against the tide requires strong
commitments on your part. It is not easy as
there are many vested interests and pressure
lobbies. Given the situation of Bihar
conventional wisdom of most of bureaucrats is to
get either entrenched deeply in the rotten
system and serve self interest or at best be a
passive spectator to the circus going on.
Amitabh has shown courage to stand up and has on
many occasions gone out of way to help in
getting justice for underprivileged sections of
society.
He has been fighting against caste senas which
are a blot on the face of Bihar. In the course
he has displeased many lobbies and individuals.
This whole controversy seems to be fuelled and
propagated by combination of such elements.
We need honest and upright police officers who
are unfortunately becoming a rare breed these
days. It is my fervent appeal to media that they
eschew sensationalism and publish things which
give a balanced perspective.
We need to encourage honest and upright people
in our system not demoralize them.
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