After the government promoted 29 Superintendents of Police (SP) to the post of Senior Superintendents of Police (SSP), seven high-profile districts have are without their chiefs. This has triggered an intense exercise well beyond the confines of the police headquarters.
Six SPs are said to have bid for the highest position at Hanumandhoka. Each of them has a heck of a strong political influence to back up their claim for the post, said a source closely observing the selection process that could conclude within a couple of days.
Balaram Prasad Paudel, the chief of Police Training Center Bharatpur, has eavesdropped as the latest bidder and, sources claim, may be in line for the post owing to his family relation with Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal.
Ganesh KC, chief of Banke police, one of the first claimants for the post, is said to have garnered support from senior UML leaders.
Kedar Rijal is another strong candidate, thanks to Inspector General Ramesh Chand, who reportedly is impressed by the former´s ongoing stint at IGP secretariat, sources said.
Kedar Man Singh, chief of Lalitpur Police, another candidate vying for the post, is said to have fielded his power from Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Sarat Singh Bhandari.
Similarly, Rajendra Man Shrestha, who has close family ties with senior leaders of the Nepali Congress, is seeking transfer from Sunsari. Pushkar Karki, who is reportedly UML leaders´ “blue eyed boy”, is an equally strong contender for the post.
Kathmandu Police is the most powerful district police unit across the nation with around 3000 personnel under its direct command, over 1000 additional personnel bound to two brigades and the Metropolitan task force standby on its requirements.
Besides the responsibility to look after nearly 3 million denizens, Kathmandu Police is also charged with the responsibility of ensuring security to the principal government secretariat, diplomatic missions and stalwarts of the state.
However, it has frequently courted controversy for allegedly taking advantage of a wide range of illegal businesses run in the capital. An internal record at Metropolitan Police Range Kathmandu reveals that there are 230 illegally operating money transferring syndicates called ´Hundi´, 1500 restaurants tending to open till after midnight, 250 massage centers operating as brothels and seven casinos which allow Nepali customers to gamble.
“It´s every police officer´s dream to be posted as the chief of Kathmandu police,” said a former SP of the Hanumandhoka. “One has the opportunity to be the most popular police officer, while at the same time to earn millions,” he added.
According to senior police officials, the delay in appointment of the chief of Kathmandu Police is due to conflict of interests. “Absence of the chief really affects the entire system, especially during critical times. But individual interests are playing so harshly that real priorities are under shadow,” a senior official said.
Hanumandhoka is now handled by DSP Ishwar Babu Karki, who, on being asked about the difficulties it has been facing, responded rather jovially. “I enjoy performing my duties,” he said.
Police Spokesman Bigyan Raj Sharma defended the absence of chief on a positive note. “This is all about selecting a competent candidate,” he claimed. He, nevertheless, admitted that the delay this time around was unusually longer.
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