In Rajasthan, you can't be sure if a man in uniform is a real cop

QUICK PILL

Conning the gullible

• Fake police uniforms, insignias and badges are easily available across Rajasthan.

• This year parents of an IAS officer were kidnapped and looted by police impersonators.

A few days ago, Jaipur police took upon itself the task of realising the dream of a 10-year-old chronic kidney patient. He was made police commissioner for a day and given a guard-of-honour.

A good gesture, of course, but for the fact that the police uniform was bought from an open market.

It takes a lot of effort to don khaki in this country. Well, not quite in Rajasthan.

A mere Rs 150 can get you the insignia of a Director General of Police in the state. Also on sale in open markets are full police uniforms, right down to accessories like shoes and belts, along with add-ons like red beacons and police sirens.

The asking rate is Rs 75 for a three-star insignia of an inspector. One can get a full uniform of an inspector for just Rs 2,500. The rates increase with the rank.

Much sought after red-beacons are available from Rs 500 to Rs 2,000.

There is no dearth of shops in the city selling police sirens for just Rs 1,000. The emblem of India sells for Rs 50.

Little wonder then that the uniforms widely available in the market, instead of instilling fear into the hearts of criminals, are fast becoming assets for them. And guess who's getting conned by criminals in fake police uniforms.

Costume party for criminals

In November last year, the Jalupura division police in Jaipur arrested one Hanumant Singh, who after looting a local driver in a fake police dress, walked straight into the police lines and told police personnel that he was a constable from Kota.

Not only did he take refuge in the police barracks but also got away with stealing wallets of several policemen.

On 2 May, eight criminals dressed in fake police uniforms kidnapped and looted parents of an IAS officer, Gaurav Goyal, on the Jaipur-Delhi highway.

The police in Sanganer, 19 km from Jaipur, arrested one of the kidnappers - Bhawani Singh Charan, said to be a regular police impersonator, who has committed many crimes in the garb of a fake khaki uniform.

He even managed to get revolvers and bullets issued from the Chandpole police lines, while in costume.

The problem perhaps lies with the insignificant quantum of punishment for such offences. The maximum punishment for wearing a fake police uniform is imprisonment for a term of three months or a fine of Rs 200 or both.

Indian Police Service (Uniform) Rules clearly provide for a grant to buy a uniform to every police officer at the time of their appointment, apart from providing them with monthly maintenance allowance.

Section 171 of the Indian Penal Code clearly forbids, 'wearing garb or carrying token used by public servant with fraudulent intent'.