Tale of a police constable who is also a RTI activist
9 Mar, 2014Sushil Kaushik was first posted in Bijnor district when he joined the UP police force as a constable in 1989. Initially when cases of corruption and favouritism by the police officials came to his notice, he reported his colleagues’ wrongdoing to senior officials. However, many of the complaints went against him and Kaushik suffered frequent transfers. He was transferred to as many as 15 places such as to Ghaziabad, Serkot, Kalagardh, Afzalgardh, Dadri, Podi Gadwal and Noida among other places during the last 15 years. After being fed up with frequent transfers, he went on medical leave in 1996.
With the coming in force of the RTI Act, 2005 Kaushik started his journey as a crusader and started filing RTI applications. He studied law to better comprehend legal aspects and is now a MA, LLB. Till date, he has filed over 100 RTIs to reform the system from within, and most of his applications have been directed against senior police officers. Kaushik launched a campaign titled ‘Agar Police Satayen, Toh Hume Batayen’ (If the police trouble, tell us) to narrow down the gap between police and people.
His application seeking the manner in which the deductions of Rs 20-30 every month from constables' salaries by the police department in the name of education, entertainment, a mess fee and sports led to stopping of this practice. Nearly Rs 80 lakhs was collected every month and the account of this money was not audited.
Fed up with the system, Kaushik even sought for voluntary retirement at one point of time, but dropped the idea as SSP Preetinder advised him against it. A Jan-Chaupal is now being planned to provide a platform where people can discuss problem they face with police.