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By Rabi Raj Thapa

Recently, the Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police was successful in bringing back one of the most wanted fugitive kingpins of the fake Bhutanese Trafficking Scam, Bechan Jha back to Nepal from India. His arrest rippled a tremor to the newly formed Government of Nepal led by P.M. K.P.Oli; especially the top-notch Nepali Congress leaders including the deputy prime minister and the foreign minister and others. The transferring of one of the main investigating case officers DIG Manoj K.C within two months C.I.B. is suspected to have done with malfeasant intention of weakening the investigation. Customarily, it is a norm for any officer to serve at least one year when he is transferred to any office. This arbitrary decision raised public outcry; even hot debates in the parliament.

Notably, this is not the first time such an ad-hoc and arbitrary decision of the government of Nepal. This is a chronic trend where any home minister and ministry overrule the norms of uniformed security organizations’ norms and practices. The oversight bodies have seldom tried to understand the feelings of security personnel of integrity, dedicated and professional police officers. Concerned people must note that real professional police officers take and interpret such arbitrary decisions of the ministry as the misuse of ministerial position to save the perpetrator by victimizing professional police personnel.

Such actions may look normal for many Nepali who take the transfer of DIG Manoj KC because such things have been happening many times before him. In the past, there have been many victims of political bias, vendetta and manipulations in the history of Nepal Police. Now the time has come to loud the voice “enough is enough” if the police and security community want to save the organization, and new generations from being victims and safeguard the interest of the new generation of law enforcement personnel.

Because, such ad-hoc, arbitrary decisions from the government have drained a lot of loyal and dedicated police personnel to leave the force prematurely. Every year, highly trained law enforcement personnel are getting de-motivated, disenchanted and demoralized by such government indifferences. As a result, there is a growing trend of low turnover to join the police and a large number of law-enforcement personnel are resigning as soon as they earn their life-long pension.

As a matter of fact, uniformed services have been the dream and priority of any Nepali youth for centuries. So many Nepali are still serving happily in the United Kingdom, India, Nepal, Brunei, Singapore and even battle-ridden country Russia. Then what can be the reason for the resignation and resentment of their national security services? This is a serious question for all.

Each successive government of Nepal has been insensitive and merciless to the Nepal Police since 1990 till date. Political manipulation through threats, intimidation, and compromises of all types has become too common practice in Nepal Police and Armed Police Force.

Now the main challenge for security organizations is to save their credibility from the government rather than from the criminals and perpetrators who may be in different higher government positions and business. It is time to check and stop their criminal facade by unveiling the high political gimmicks long endured by security organizations by appeasing their arbitrary nefarious dictates.

Now, such erratic, ad-hoc political dictatorial attitude has begun to show a direct impact on morale and motivation and moral police personnel adversely; especially to those who believe in integrity and professionalism.

Once the three-tier federal police system gets hold of Nepal Police, Nepalese will have to see more free-ride and ad-hoc arbitrary decisions by the political masters which may tarnish organizational ethos and image and sanctity of Nepali international security organizations.

The writer, a former AIG of the Armed Police Force, is a noted security expert.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect People’s Review’s editorial stance.