Cop’s transfer blunts organised intel unit’s sharp skills

In a recent shuffle of top police officials, the Home Department transferred SP Saravanan, who had been heading the OCIU, and has kept him on compulsory wait. The increase in organised crime has reportedly been cited as a reason for his transfer, but the department has not found any new official to lead this crucial unit in crime prevention.

Formed in late 2010, OCIU had been instrumental in passing on valuable information to the police force and also to agencies like CB-CID regarding organised crime syndicates. The unit maintains a low profile, even allowing the respective police forces take credit whenever rowdies and hard core criminals are nabbed, say sources. 

“When a crime is committed by an organised criminal gang, the immediate blame falls on OCIU. Most of the time the information passed on to the local police are not verified properly or are not looked into at all. In many cases, our own officials had to enter the field and nab these criminals,” an OCIU official said, citing the arrest of three persons with country made revolvers at Koyambedu on March 6. OCIU officials chased and caught these persons who had come to hand over a gun to a notorious gangster. 

Sources said they had passed on the information to the local police. “We cannot risk revealing our identity as we will not be able to carry out decoy operations. If our cover is blown, the success of our mission would be compromised,” another OCIU personnel said. OCIU has units in all districts and officials in the rank of DSP are heading these units. 

With the removal of OCIU’s SP from the post, many officials see a break in information chain. “Now they report to the Intelligence IG, who has to supervise and oversee several other works. All these are hindering the good work at the unit now,” another official added.