DGP orders ouster of Chief Traffic Warden

By K.V. Subramanya

BANGALORE, FEB. 21. The Director-General and Inspector-General of Police, Mr. C.Dinakar, has directed the Commissioner of Police, Mr. T.Madiyal, to remove Commodore Somanna, against whom a criminal case is pending, from the post of Chief Traffic Warden.

Based on Mr. Dinakar's order that was passed last week, Mr. Madiyal has asked the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic East), Mr. M.C.Narayana Gowda, to conduct an inquiry in this regard.

It is said that as the Chief Traffic Warden's appointment is made in accordance with the Traffic Warden Rules, the DG and IGP had no powers to order his removal from the post. An inquiry has to be conducted by the DCP (Traffic) before the Chief Traffic Warden is removed from the post, sources told The Hindu.

Ashoknagar police had registered a case of cheating, forgery and fabricating of documents against Commodore Somanna in 1999.

Mr. Dinakar told The Hindu that Commodore Somanna had purchased a Maruti Esteem car after obtaining loan from a finance company and had hypothicated the vehicle to the financier. Details of hypothication were mentioned in the vehicle's R.C. book.

Commodore Sommanna had allegedly applied for a duplicate R.C. book stating that he had lost the original. In the duplicate R.C. book, he had allegedly forged the signatures and created a document to show that he was the sole owner of the vehicle.

Subsequently, the financier had lodged a complaint with the Ashoknagar Police against Commodore Somanna. But Commodore Sommana paid the dues to the financier and settled the matter with him.

When the company told the police that as it had compromised with Commodore Somanna and was not interested in pursuing the case, Ashoknagar police closed the case and filed a ``B'' report before the jurisdictional court in 1999.

However, recently Mr. Dinakar, who came to know about the matter, summoned the Ashoknagar Sub-Inspector, Mr. Venkataswamy, and directed him to re-open the case and conduct fresh investigation.

While making out a case for ordering fresh investigation, Mr. Dinakar said the police could not close the case when it pertained to offences relating to forgery and fabricating of documents, which were ``non-compoundable.''

Even though the two parties could ``compromise'', police could not drop the case pertaining to forgery and fabricating of documents.

Apart from an inquiry that was being conducted by the DCP (Traffic East), Ashoknagar police have re-opened the case and have started fresh investigations.

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