Bhubaneswar: The Commissionerate Police has reportedly directed police stations under its jurisdiction to trace out whistleblowers in the forces who let out sensitive information to media. The department faced many embarrassing moments over the past few months because of such leakages. Many news items published in dailies have become a headache for the department.
When contacted, DCP (in-charge) Anup Kumar Sahoo, however, strongly denied snooping charges saying, “No such orders related to the collection of call detail records of police station staff in Bhubaneswar have been given to IICs. This is completely absurd.”
Sources in the police, however, told this newspaper that the DCP in-charge has asked IICs of police stations here to keep a vigil on forces trying to share information with media. Many alleged that leakages of police misdeeds like the visit by some officers to Puri flouting the state government norms reported by this media might have been the reason for the sudden instruction by the higher-ups.
Sources said that the IIC of a very busy police station has in a recent meeting sought the call details of staff, especially those in the lower ranks. Sources also added that the phone calls of media persons are also being tapped to ascertain the whistleblowers.