Patna, Oct. 14: The police headquarters, to give a fillip to chief minister Nitish Kumar’s anti-corruption drive, has decided to organise a four-day fair in Patna in November for quick disposal of graft cases against policemen.

Bihar director-general of police (DGP) Abhayanand issued a letter to all superintendents of police (SPs) asking them to ensure the presence of the accused policemen at the fair so that the proceedings initiated against them could be disposed of on the spot.

The DGP’s letter also stressed the need of the presence of the witnesses, investigating officers and the conducting officers apart from the complainants of the trap cases. “The list of the accused policemen has also been provided to the SPs concerned,” the police officer said.

The officers conducting the fair on the premises of the vigilance investigation bureau office from November 8 to November 11 would have to submit the report thereafter.

Sources said the quick disposal of the proceedings would facilitate the dismissal of the policemen. “Let the court decide the criminal act. We will take action against the erring cops for their involvement in misconduct. This may also lead to termination of their services,” a senior IPS officer posted at the police headquarters said.

This first-of-its-kind move in Bihar is aimed at awarding punishment to erring cops, who have been enjoying plum postings even after being caught red-handed by vigilance sleuths while taking bribe. “This is an attempt to teach a lesson to the cops, who have earned a bad name for the department,” said a senior police officer.

According to sources, around 70 policemen, right from constable to deputy superintendent of police, have been caught by the bureau officials on the charge of taking bribe since January 2006. They were put under suspension but later released and posted.

“There have been reports of several accused policemen serving as station house officers in the districts even after being trapped and arrested on graft charges. This is something, which causes embarrassment to the top police officers,” the police officer said.

Additional director-general (vigilance) Pramod Kumar Thakur confirmed the receipt of the DGP’s directive and said the bureau would facilitate the conducting officers in quick disposal of the departmental proceedings against policemen, who have been made accused in trap cases lodged by the bureau.

“Apart from the criminal act (i.e. accepting illegal gratification), it amounts to misconduct for which the department concerned is liable to take action,” Thakur said, adding that the list of the policemen trapped by the bureau has already been submitted to the headquarters.

He said the bureau would ensure that the complainants, witnesses and the investigating officers (who are from the bureau) remain present on the particular dates fixed by the headquarters. “The idea is to reduce the procedural delay in disposing departmental proceeding against the erring policemen,” he told The Telegraph on Friday.

According to the provisions, the police headquarters would give chances to every accused policeman twice to present his/her side before the state police chief (read DGP) or any other official authorised by him after receipt of the reports of the conducting officers.

“If the DGP is not satisfied with the final explanation of the accused, he can initiate action against them, which may include termination of the service,” the officer explained.