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Goliath amongst dwarfs!!!
An Interview with DGP (Retd.) Mr. Dinakar

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Whenever we think of police the picture of a rude and corrupt person comes to our mind. Though it is true in most cases, we cannot generalize it because sometimes we see a person like Mr.C.Dinakar, retired DGP amidst them. Overawed by people talking about his deeds, I decided to do an interview with Mr.Dinakar. When I went to meet him, he never gave me a chance to ask questions. He started narrating everything since the day he joined the police force. His frankness, politeness and his articulate thoughts makes me ponder and exclaim, "Was he in the police force? Is it true?"

Mr. C. Dinakar was born on 04-02-1941 in Madras (now Chennai). He got his education in Madras (now Chennai) and took his M.Sc exams in 1962. In the same year he got into Indian Police Service. He stood 5th in the All India test. After having trained in the National Academy of Administration at Mussori and later at Central Police Training College Mount Abu, he joined the service in 1965. Mr. Dinakar underwent practical training in Belgaum and in July 1965 he was posted to "Indi" sub division in Bijapur as Assistant Superitendent of Police. In 1967 he was transferred to Bailahongal sub division of Belgaum district. He got his promotion as Superitendent of Police in July 1967 and he has worked as S.P. in Bellary, Kolar and Mysore districts. He worked as Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) in Bangalore in 1972-73. Mr. Dinakar was selected by the Government of India as the only representative of the nation to the Interpol conference in Paris, which was held for the road traffic problems. The Government of Karnataka passed an order enabling him to undergo training in Paris and also in Scotland Yard. Mr. Dinakar also worked as S.P. in CAD (Food shell), CoD and Fire department. 

In 1979, Mr. Dinakar was promoted to DIG and was posted to the food and forest department. He was then transferred to State Vigilance Commission after two years. He had fought many legal battles to come to the top post in the department and he had a colorful and distinguished career while in service. Now, after retiring as D.G.P., he has registered in the Bar Association of Bangalore and has started practice as a legal adviser.

Here are excerpts of the interview conducted at his office:

1. You assumed the post of DGP through a lot of hardship. What were the reasons for undergoing such hardship? 
As DGP of CoD and economic offences, I personally investigated into the scandal relating to NGEF about the receipt of commission of Rs. 2.5 crore as per the agreement from AEG of Germany for the supply of torpedoes. The torpedoes are additional equipments for submarines. About their purchase, the investigation by the CBI is still going on. The report given by me about Rs. 2.5 crore commissions was not liked by Mr. J. H. Patel, the then deputy chief minister, who subsequently became the chief minister in 1996 when Deve Gowda became the prime minister of the nation. When the CM decided to change Mr. A.P.Dorai from the post of DGP, I should have become the DGP as per seniority and efficiency. But I was superseded and the post was given to Mr. T. Shrinivasulu, who was one year junior to me. I was transferred as DGP (Home guard and fire services). I challenged it in the Central Administrative Tribunal but lost the case. I engaged another advocate and filed a written petition in the High Court. But the advocate argued the case against me for 3 days. I took permission of the court and withdrew the vakalat, argued for 7 days and won the case. The State Government went on an appeal and filed a Special Leave Petition in the Supreme Court. For admission Attorney General Sorabji appeared on behalf of the Karnataka State Government. 

The Supreme Court refused to admit the case and said that it would fix a date to hear the case and dispose it off. The advocate general Mr. Vijayshankar argued from 10.30 to 12.30 on behalf of the Government and afterwards, I argued personally from 12.30 to 3.30 and by 3.30 I won the case. The Supreme Court gave some direction regarding selection. The State Government disregarded the order and appointed Mr. T. Shrinivasulu again. I filed a contempt petition in the Supreme Court, for which it gave me a written direction to file it in Karnataka High Court. Subsequently, I filed it in High Court as per the direction, which was admitted. At the same time, I filed an application in CAT and won the case. Soon after the assembly elections were held, S. M. Krishna became the Chief Minister. The Law department and Chief Secretary recommended and advised CM for appealing against the decision of CAT. But the CM turned down their recommendation and appointed me as State Director General of Police. 

2. About your experiences…
I was the first officer to raid the houses belonging to I.A.S. officers (about 28 top Government officials) and register cases against them under the Prevention of Corruption Act for possession of property disproportionate to their known sources of income. I raided the houses of B. Subbaiaha (special secretary to Public Works Department), Dr. Saxena (director of health and family welfare), C. M. Prasad (chief inspector of factories and boilers), several chief engineers, superintendent engineers, executive engineers of PWD. I also conducted corruption case inquiry against top senior IAS officers like S. M. Patnaik, Zafar Saifulla, who later became the cabinet secretary. 

At that time, Late Gundu Rao was the chief minister of Karnataka. He did not like me and he found me too hot and uncomfortable. But I never cared. He transferred me as DIG to Gulbarga and within 6 months as a punishment transfer, I was again transferred to Mysore as Special Officer to revise the policeman work. I suffered very much and I was humiliated. In 1982, I decided to study law and after taking law degree, I thought of quitting the service.

In November 1982, when I met him, I pleaded not to be humiliated and harassed. He knew me well and he would give me a good posting after the assembly elections in January 1983. But Gundu Rao was defeated in the election. God gave him and his party the correct punishment. 

Ramakrishna Hegde became the chief minister. He immediately transferred me as Chief Security and Vigilance Officer in KSRTC. I worked there for two years. Pleased with my work, the KSRTC created a new post of Director Personnel and appointed me. KSRTC also sent me for 15 days training to Singapore and Malaysia and a to attend a management-training program organized at Katmandu, Nepal. 

The control room of DGP, which is on the 7th floor of police head quarters was planned and designed by me. "This is the best DGP’s room in the entire country" hailed many in the department. 

When H. D. Deve Gowda was the chief minister, a big lobby worked against me. I was transferred to Civil Rights Enforcement Cell. I thought that Devegowda would continue as chief minister for 5 years. If that was so, I thought that my fate was going to be sealed since I would be retiring during his regime. I thought that he had developed some sort of prejudice against me. I did not meet either the CM or the home minister P.G.R. Sindhia whom I knew earlier. But H.D. Deve Gowda is a leader with lot of common sense whom we can compare with Late K. Kamaraj of Tamil Nadu. Both these leaders knew the practical realities. Deve Gowda had an ambition of reaching a higher level of political success.

He realized that he should give a good administration to the state. He also knew that, a good administration can be given by good IPS and IAS officers. So, he wanted to have a good relationship with the IAS & IPS officers. By March 1995, he realized that he had done injustice to me. He sent for me through the Home Minister, Mr. P.G.R. Sindhia. But I did not agree to meet either the chief minister or the home minister. In April 1995, Sindhia again telephoned me and asked me to meet both of them. I went to Sindhia, who took me to the chief minister. Deve Gowda said that some mistake had taken place earlier and which he would like to rectify it and utilize my services. I told him that I would do my best in any post sincerely. 

Few days later the scandal about Hemavathi Canal Project was raised in the assembly and council. There was an Uproar both in the assembly and the council for two days. Deve Gowda wept in the assembly. In both the houses the members wanted a judicial inquiry into Hemavathi Canal irregularities. The chief minister told that a CoD inquiry will be ordered for which the members questioned to name the person who could conduct an impartial inquiry. The C.M. mentioned my name which put an end to the uproar. I was transferred from CREC to CoD. This was an eventful tenure. 

The Supreme Court ordered the CoD to investigate into the P.C. Dental College scandal. After investigation, I filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court stating that former Chief Minister S. Bangarappa, health minister Puttaswamy Gowda and others had received bribes to illegally sanction P.C. Dental College. The case came up before the Supreme Court. Mr. Kuldeep Singh, the presiding officer asked me to explain the case. I explained the case for 45 minutes. The Supreme Court ordered to register corruption cases against Bangarappa and Puttaswamy Gowda and others. But….

3. In Britain, the police are very helpful particularly to children. But here people are afraid to go to police even to lodge a complaint. Why is it so? 
To be a friend of the public the policeman should be selfless and of helping nature. Selfless service is lacking because of corruption in the police department. When I came to Karnataka in 1965 we used to try and find out which IPS officer is corrupt. At that time very few officers were corrupt. Now a time has come for a discussion to find out who is honest. That is the drastic change in the last 35 years. Selfishness and greed makes one corrupt and this corruption is not limited to police only. It’s in almost each and every government department. If a policeman spends an hour with some children to become friendly with them or to help them he does not get anything in return. But at the same time if he spends and helps a politician or a criminal he can make merry.

4. What remedies do you suggest for the improvement of police personnel behavior with public? 
Nobody is addressed as "SIR". The style of questioning or interrogation is the same in almost every country. When I had been to Amsterdam, I was handled rudely in spite of my telling them that I am also a police officer. The very nature of their profession makes them men of tough attitude. Proper human behavior can be expected from persons who are properly selected and trained. Proper selection and proper training is lacking in our department and that is the fundamental flaw. In our department near 70% are constables. Many of them got selected because they were working as servants in some politician’s houses. Many of the Sub-Inspectors are selected by bribing the concerned people. This is the story of selection. In the training school the officers-in-charge are mostly demoted or because of punishment transfer. Their mental condition is always perturbed. All the while, they dream of getting a transfer to a good police station and make money. Can you expect this type of people giving an honest and sincere training to the trainees? 

5. Do you think the time was too short to do some thing positive?
When I retired from the service lot of people told that I was the most successful DGP. No other DGP had done so much good work, which I had done in 11 months. If I had been promoted as DGP when it was due I would have done still more things in the interest of the department and the people. 

6. Can you narrate any of the incidents, which is worth remembering?
I was working as S.P. in Kolar in 1970. At that time about 5000 farmers started an agitation in Chintamani demanding for the reduction in the price of food in hotels. They wanted masala dosa for 25 paisa., coffee for 10 paisa. In Chintamani, our police station was attached to the taluk office also. The crowd started attacking the taluk office. The Sub-Inspector and ASP could not control the situation. When I went there I saw that tear gas could not be ordered because the air was blowing towards the station. I ordered for firing in the air. Then the crowd started fooling us and made a mockery of us and their attack was intensified. So I had to take a gun and fired at the crowd, which resulted in the death of 7 agitators. That is the most memorable moment in my life.

I was in Mysore in 1977. Mr. Basavalingappa, who was then a minister, exclaimed in a public function "All Kannada literature is boosa". All Kannada loving people started to agitate, which ultimately ended by the resignation of Basavalingappa. The schedule caste people, who were the strong supporters of Basavalingappa, took a huge procession 5000 people on to the streets. When the procession reached K.R. Circle, I reached there with handful of officers. I requested and convinced them to disperse. Without any lati charge or any other action a big clash was averted. 

When I was in Mysore, I was steward of Mysore Race Club. One day a jockey pulled the reigns of a favorite horse, which the people saw. The people got angry and started agitation in the Race club premises. All the punters were also agitated. It was almost a riotous situation. The officials of the race club were so afraid that they hid themselves under the table and chairs. I had one inspector and one constable with me. I immediately snatched the lati from the constable and started charging single handedly. Fortunately the situation was brought to normal within 15 minutes. 

7. Was there any case, which you think was the most difficult one to handle in your career? 
When I was in Bangalore, the teachers went on strike. They were not prepared to do the evaluation of PUC papers unless their demands are met. The Government and almost all people were very much worried about the future of the students. Chief Minister called a meeting and discussed ways to handle it. I told CM just to leave the matter to me. I immediately instructed the Commissioner of Police to arrest all the agitators. The arrested teachers were taken to Police Kalyan Mantap at Adugodi. They were arrested at 2.30. They were treated well. But the trouble started after 6.30 in the evening. It was not by the police but by the horrible mosquito population of Adugodi. Next morning they unconditionally withdrew the strike.

When there was an advocates’ strike in Bangalore, which stopped the functioning of courts. The Chief Justice called me and told that courts were functioning even during the World War II. Non-functioning of courts is a breakdown in the authority. I told him to leave it to me. Next morning when the agitating lawyers did not allow the judges to enter the court hall, I ordered to arrest all the agitating lawyers. After arresting them we discussed the matter with them and solved the problem. 

I have mentioned peace even during the abduction of Rajkuamr. I never allowed happening a single bad incident during those 108 days unlike what happened during the Cauvery river water dispute. I also handled the case regarding the blast in the churches.

8. Do you think that the interference of politicians is responsible for most of the problems in police force? 
I do not call it as interference. It is one of their duties if it is done in good intention. They have the responsibility of redressing the grievances of the people. In our country, it is almost impossible to get a seat in an educational institution or a bed in a hospital without the influence of some bigwig.

9. You have changed your coat now. What prompted you to go into this profession? How would you like to help the poor people who come for legal assistance? 
I decided to start practice as an advocate because this was the door opened to me by God. J.H. Patel slammed one door but the Almighty opened another door. It is not my intention to start a charity service. I am not here to do social service. I have invested a lot to set up this office.

10. Interested in joining politics…
No.. not at all…

11. After retirement do you realize that you have more enemies than friends or vice versa?
I have made a few friends, a number of enemies and acquired a lot of admirers.

- Sandeep Shenoy.

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