Confining cops: Top IPS officer appears before probe panel

Additional DGP Vipul Vijoy, facing probe for allegedly 'confining' 13 policemen in garage at his official residence in Gandhinagar, today appeared before a committee of two senior IPS officers.
Vijoy's wife Smita also appeared before the panel as the policemen- all staff members of the officer- had alleged that she also ill-treated them.
The probe committee, formed by Home Department last month, comprises Managing Director of Gujarat Police Housing Corporation, Geetha Johri, a DGP-rank officer, and ADGP (Law and Order) P P Pandey.
"Both Vipul Vijoy and his wife today appeared before us and gave their statements regarding the allegations levelled against them. We may call them again if required," said Johri without elaborating.

Vijoy was accused of 'confining' at least 13 of the policemen, consisting of constables and sub-inspectors, in the garage of his residence at Karai Police Academy in Gandhinagar on September 30.
They were 'rescued' after they made a distress call to state police control room, following which some top police officials rushed to the spot.

Vijoy was ADGP (Communications) at the time of the alleged incident.
The police personnel had alleged that they were locked up and forced to sit in the garage for more than 12 hours without food or water by Vijoy and his wife.
The policemen had alleged that the couple ill-treated them in past as well.

Though Vijoy had refuted the allegations, the Home department asked him to proceed on indefinite leave.
Denying any wrongdoing, Vijoy had said that he only asked 13 of his staff members not to leave his residence until work assigned to them is completed.
The Gujarat State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) had also sought government's explanation about the incident.
Subsequently, the government appointed a one-member panel under DGP, Home Guards, H P Singh to probe the incident, but later handed it over to the Johri-Pandey panel.
Meanwhile, retired IPS officer and an SHRC member, Sudhir Sinha today said the probe was shifted as Vijoy and H P Singh had a run-in in the past.

"It is on government record that both Vijoy and Singh were having an old dispute over some issue when they were in Surat city. Thus, to avoid any allegation of bias or prejudice, the probe was handed over to the (current) committee by government recently," he said.
Sinha said the inquiry report is expected to be received in "due course" after the Johri-Pandey panel completes its probe.