Delhi Police's functional autonomy is 'sacrosanct': Bassi

In an apprent dig at the Kejriwal govt, he said that those who have questioned it should be made to look at history

Hours before handing over charge to Alok Kumar Verma, outgoing Delhi Police Commissioner B S Bassi on Monday took an apparent dig at the Kejriwal government, saying Delhi Police's autonomy is "sacrosanct" and those who have questioned it should be made to look at history.

"Delhi Police's functional autonomy is sacrosanct. Those who have raised questions regarding Delhi Police's autonomy, should be taken back in time and made to look into history," Bassi said at his farewell parade in New Police Lines here.

"We don't have any strife with anyone. We reach out to everyone and if someone thinks that Delhi Police only wants to get into confrontations, they should stop thinking that way.

"Some also think that Delhi Police works under political pressure. Please do not have such misunderstanding. In every case, we rely on evidence, whether it is Sunanda Pushkar matter or the cases of Patiala House violence or JNU row," he said.

Senior IPS officer Alok Kumar Verma on Monday took charge as the new Commissioner of Delhi Police at a time it is battling mounting criticism over handling of the JNU row.

Verma succeeds B S Bassi who was at loggerheads with the AAP government on a range of issues in the last one year.

Later in the day, after handing over the reins of the police force to Verma, Bassi told reporters: "I am extremely happy to have served in police force for 38 years, 7 months and 18 days. I believe I got ample opportunities to serve public and I have made the most of it."

Bassi then left the police headquarters with the entire top brass bidding him farewell near the front lawn.