Anoop Awasthi
ISPP & CFW Graduate

Thanks to God that my mobile phone could be recovered after almost five months since it was lost, but only after the involvement of Commissioner of Delhi Police, Mr. Y.S. Dadwal. The entire story portrays a glaring example of how serious, alert and citizen friendly Delhi Police is! The luckiest you are, the least you have had to approach police, but one is bound to do so if one loses his important belongings like mobile phone, to save oneself from horrors of harassment as stolen devices may be misused and innocent loser’s name may anytime hit national headlines for having links with Al-Qaeda.

On 20th January my mobile phone was picked by some fellow student from my table in the Library of Law Faculty. It was not lost but stolen, but in the Non Cognizable Report (NCR) lodged in Maurice Nagar Police Station on 20.01.2010, contrary to my application only loss was recorded  and not the theft. However in the night when I incidentally made a call on my stolen cell phone, it was surprisingly picked by someone introducing himself as Ravindra-a DTC employee and he promised to return the device at about 11 a.m next day at ISBT. The promise proved to be as false as an election promise-never to be fulfilled.

I procured a duplicate SIM. Entire phone balance was consumed, meaning that the thief had extensively talked through my cell phone. I went to the police station again, reported in writing the developments and requested the Investigation Officer to put my cell phone on surveillance, analyse call details, and recover it. But all I got was a curt reply, “do you think- you are special and we are employed only for your work, we will put it on surveillance in due course and please don’t bother us for next 15 days”.

I had no option but to come back, while returning, someone whispered to me “why don’t you try your luck in operations branch”. I got the clue and landed there to receive an obnoxious welcome. “How dare you to come direct to us, we are not civil police, we never entertain civilians directly, please get lost.”. “Is there any alternative way for speedy surveillance”   I implored, “yes, of course but not for you” was the emphatic reply.

I was fired but certainly not to get lost or to lose heart, I was restless-looking for a new way to get my cell phone back. I tried to study but couldn’t, I thereafter started surfing on internet, venturing into the interiors of Delhi Police website, suddenly I saw something that set me thinking and filled me with new hope. What sparked this was the e-mail ID of Police Commissioner of Delhi- Y.S. Dadwal. I narrated the entire episode and enclosed scanned copies of FIR and other documents in an e-mail addressed to him. Next day I got a reply from him that my matter has been handed over to Joint Commissioner of police, North District and I may contact him for further action. I contacted the JCP of North District.

I did not hear from them about any progress whatsoever for over a month. As I was very curious to know about the status of the investigation, I filed an application under the Right to Information Act (RTI). The results were disappointing too.

On 19.05.2010, I got a phone call, inquiring whether I am Anoop, when I answered in affirmative, I was politely told to visit police station to collect my recovered cell phone (this was 5 months after the theft). On reaching Maurice Nagar Police Station I received a warm welcome, a glass of cold drink and a seat in front of cooler. Nobody called me by name, but addressed me only as ‘sir’. After handing over my cell phone, the investigating officer begged in front of me to withdraw the complaint, which I accepted only after a few minutes of persuasion. When I signed the withdrawal, I perused the 16 page Case Book, packed with orders of superior authorities- Commissioner, Joint Commissioner and so on.

Administration is citizen friendly but only when citizen approaches the top boss. There is an urgent need to undertake reformation of the entire system to provide speedy justice to help save resources, time and energy of all.  It will however take a lot of time before we see a positive change.