Zero tolerance for corruption, says new police chief Kamal Pant

Bengaluru’s new police commissioner says he is tough but not aggressive. An exclusive Metrolife interview

Kamal Pant, newly appointed police commissioner for Bengaluru, says the biggest milestone in his career was the 2015 Lokayukta corruption case.

“Never before had an ombudsman been investigated by a subordinate institution. The inputs were sketchy and we had to build the case from scratch,” he says.

As a consequence of the case, Lokayukta Y Bhaskar Rao resigned, and his son Ashwin Rao was convicted and jailed for corruption.

He says his priorities for Bengaluru are to curb the drug menace and ensure safety of women and children.

In an interview with Metrolife soon after taking charge from outgoing police commissioner Bhaskar Rao last week, Pant talks about his policing style.

How do you intend to strike a balance between tough policing and friendliness?

Being tough doesn’t mean being aggressive. The appropriateness of action is most important. During my stints in Mangaluru and Shivamogga, I have not hesitated to order firing. I have had to face a judicial probe for that.

How will you deal with police excesses and custodial violence?

There are severe consequences if people are subjected to third degree treatment. Many agencies, at the state and central levels, act as watchdogs and will not spare you. The police have to respect the dignity of every human being. There are ways of sustained negotiation and interrogation. There should be no shortcut to get the truth out.

What do you think are the high points of your career?

I have been a part of many turbulent incidents. I was baptised by fire. Violence broke out during the Ganapathi festival procession in Bhadravathi. We had to lathicharge and open firing. The procession was cancelled after and has not been held for 10 years.

How do you intend to protect your officers against Covid?

This pandemic has brought our police force closer. We see many looking out for each other as brothers and sisters. They make ‘kashaya’, teach yoga and reinforce the importance of staying healthy. We make sure that police personnel who are infected are given timely treatment, and families are taken care of and provided financial assistance when necessary.

How do you plan to deal with corruption in the force?

Any deviation from rules will have zero tolerance. Professional dishonesty will have severe consequences.

What do you do in your spare time? Do you read?

The most recent book I have read is ‘The Begum: A Portrait of Ra’ana Liaquat Ali Khan.’ She was Irene Pant before she converted to Islam. Her forefather was Taradutt Pant. I was curious about how a Pant woman became the ‘mother of Pakistan’. Another book, ‘And Quiet Flows the Don’ by Mikhail Sholokhov is also a favourite. The works of George Orwell, Paulo Coelho and Somerset Maugham have influenced me.

And music?

I enjoy classical music. Songs by The Beatles, Queen, John Denver, John Lennon are my favourites. I relax the most with bhajans by Bhimsen Joshi.

Loves the hills, goes trekking

Kamal Pant, 56, is a 1990 batch IPS officer. An MSc in applied geology, he is a recipient of the President’s medal for meritorious service. Pant was educated in Delhi. He completed his schooling from Navyug School, and worked as a junior research fellow before joining the police service. His fondest childhood memories are helping his grandmother on a farm in Berinag village in Uttarakhand. Pant loves the hills and goes trekking. He also doesn’t miss his exercise and gym routine.

His big cases

1994: As superintendent of police in Shivamogga, he had to control communal violence. He ordered caning and curfew several times. Many died in a police firing in Bhadravathi in connection with a Ganapathi festival procession. Things have become a lot calmer in that city, he says.

1999: When mechanised unloading of containers was introduced in the Mangalore port for the first time, labourers protested. “We controlled an angry mob,” says Pant. “The port is today one of the biggest and busiest.”

2010: A firing was reported near the Sri Sri ashram on Kanakapura Road, Bengaluru, and an attempt on the life of the guru was suspected. Police found the revolver and tracked down the man behind the shooting. “The challenge was to keep the details under wraps,” he says.

2015: A scandal rocked the institution of the Lokayukta when Y Bhaskar Rao was heading it. His son and others running a racket were convicted and eventually jailed. Pant believes the police built a foolproof case. “The beauty of our investigation was that it could never be challenged in any court,” he says.