AP govt draws flak for shifting 'rapist' cops

The Andhra Pradesh government is drawing flak for transferring all the four assistant commissioners of police associated with the task force following reports that two ACPs raped four women in Hyderabad.

The decision has come as a shock to the city police, and several officials allege that the transfers have been effected to shield the real culprits.

Facts seem to confirm the officials's doubts. Soon after a leading daily reported that four women were illegally confined in a city hotel and raped by two ACPs, the government asked the city detective department to investigate the case.

However, when the issue rocked the state assembly last week with the Opposition demanding the suspension of the officials concerned, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu refused to take any action. He said that the officials could not be suspended on the basis of newspaper reports.

Considering that the investigation report is yet to be submitted and that no ''major facts have been unearthed'' in the case since Naidu's statement in assembly, the police fails to understand the chief minister's volte face

Ironically, Hyderabad Police Commissioner R P Singh had issued memos to two ACPs for their alleged misbehaviour with ''some sex workers during a raid''. The two officers are among the four ACPs transferred to places like Atmakur, Gadwal, Madanepalli and Nandyal. The official reason for the transfers: they are intended to ''streamline the task force''.

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