'Take strict action against people misusing movement passes'

New Delhi: Delhi Police Commissioner SN Shrivastava has asked the officers to take strict action against those who were involved in misusing movement passes for essential duties during the lockdown.

Police sources said that during a video conference with the top brass of the Delhi Police, a top cop said that it was observed that some people are misusing the movement passes, e-passes, identity cards and prescription slips issued by doctors. "Picket staff should be adequately briefed to check the documents thoroughly and if anybody is found misusing the same, s/he should be prosecuted as per law. It should also be ensured that the positioning of pickets and barricading should be done with due application of mind for meaningful impact," the top cop directed senior officers.

According to sources, the same discussion was held in another video conference. "It has come to notice that some persons are misusing the e-passes and are employing maids who commute from clusters, thus risking transmission of COVID-19 to new localities," a senior officer said in the conference. The police chief asked Special CPs (law and order) to take action.

Earlier this month, the Outer district police nabbed seven people for possession of illegal liquor. The Mundka Police station at Tikri border has arrested a person on a motorcycle and recovered five bottles of illegal liquor from his bag. He was also carrying a curfew pass issued from the Delhi Police.

In another case, the staff of Mundka at Tikri Border apprehended another person for violation of movement pass issued for sanitation purpose. He was found with another person who was carrying illegal liquor in his vehicle.

Police said that since lockdown they are regularly receiving over 500 calls related to movement passes on their emergency helpline number. The callers were advised to apply online on the Delhi Police website for movement pass. The city police are also issuing passes everyday-on Wednesday as many as 389 passes were issued and 626 calls were received related to passes.

Recently in an internal communication to the force, the Delhi Police Commissioner said: "The police passes were issued with validity upto April 14. Since the lockdown has been extended, passes will remain valid upto May 3 and no separate order reviewing the passes is being issued."