LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to withdraw cases registered under the Epidemic Act for violation of pandemic guidelines during the Covid-induced lockdown.
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath said keeping in view larger public interest, cases relating to violation of the Act should be withdrawn. He asked the home department to start proceedings in this regard. He also said tainted policemen would be identified and action taken against them.
Last month, the CM also announced that the state government would withdraw cases filed against farmers for stubble burning.
A home department official said that it also makes Uttar Pradesh, the first state in the country to take back cases that were registered for violating Covid-19 protocol.
These cases were registered under the charges of Disaster Management Act, Epidemic Act, disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant for breaking Covid-19 protocol and CM Adityanath Yogi has directed the officials to withdraw them if they are not of serious nature, he said.
A senior police official said that as per records, overall 91,002 cases were registered for violation of Covid protocol across all the eight police zones and four police commissionerates .
“A detailed note was awaited in connection with the same,” he said.
The officer also said that maximum cases were registered in Gorakhpur police zone with 18,585 cases and the least were registered in Varanasi Commissionerate with 251.
On the other hand, acting on the directions of the UP CM, the state government had formed two committees to screen corrupt and tainted cops.
First under the chairmanship of DG, intelligence, Devendra Singh Chauhan, and the second under ADG (law and order) Prashant Kumar. The first committee will screen the officers in the rank of additional superintendent of police and deputy superintendent of police.
The second committee headed by ADG (L&O) will screen policemen of inspector and sub-inspector level. In this committee, the ADG establishment and home secretary will be the members. These committees will give their report after examining the policemen posted in the same district for three years and if they have any kind of allegations against them.
