Bombay High Court: Make top cops' mobile nos public

The Bombay High Court has asked the Mumbai Traffic police department to publicise the personal mobile numbers of the Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Amitesh Kumar and Deputy Commissioner of Police Ashok Dudhe, so that citizens can call them directly to record traffic violations, both by motorists and policemen.

A division bench of Justices S C Dharmadhikari and Bharati Dangre said, "All the helpline numbers, etc. are okay, but citizens should be able to get in touch with senior officers to record their grievances. These policemen may have their own mobile handset, but their bills are paid by the government. So let each public official be available to the public."

The court expressed displeasure over inaction by the traffic department, and the ever increasing traffic congestion in the metropolis. "At every nook and corner, there are traffic cops – either playing on their mobile phones or talking... manning of traffic is incidental duty."

The bench was hearing a public interest litigation filed by serving policemen Sunil Toke, alleging large scale corruption in the department. "[A] Petitioner's duty is to only highlight dereliction of duty; it is for the department to act," said the court.

Justice Dharmadhikari came down heavily on corruption charges, and asked that strict disciplinary action be taken against cops found to be accepting graft.

Dial P For Police

The bench said that though traffic cops buy the handsets, the phone bills are paid by the govt 
Thus each public official must be available to the public to record and address their grievances