Screening Committee Is Delhi Police's North Star: Yellow Journalism and Groupism of Special CPs Won't Affect It

The baseless reporting against Delhi Police's screening committee by so-called media organizations is perhaps a staged report to facilitate a vent for desperate Special police commissioners and corrupt police Inspectors who are pinned down by Delhi Police's rigorous selection procedure(video recording and UPSC-like panel interviews). The news report referring to an "imaginary incident" where Special CP was involved in corrupt showbiz without any force or credible substance proves the report slanderous. The Special Commissioner of Media Cell, R.P Upadhayay, has issued a cautionary notice strongly refuting the claims made by the news report. Upadhayay argues that no file related to the posting of SHOs was ever in process during that time. Upadhayay vehemently countered the inflammatory allegations, indicating a fallout-like situation in Delhi Police Headquarters, such as taking away powers from Special CP three days before his retirement and re-constituting the committee. He says re-constituting the committee was an administrative need because no screening committee meetings were scheduled on 30 and 31st December, and the concerned Special Commissioner would have superannuated before 1st January 2024; therefore, re-constituting the committee was necessary. Similarly, the story of PCR was also countered as no PCR calls were made. Such incidents only reflect the desperation of some "useful idiots" in Delhi Police Headquarters who believe that yellow journalism still works, pressure the Delhi Police Commissioner, and circumvent the screening committee. These unfortunate incidents also demand an urgent need to make the force realize the strength and power of the screening committee. Perhaps some of the thoughts of  CJI D.Y Chandrachud resemble with the Delhi Police, as both have faced questions over institutional transparency. While responding to critics of the collegium system, CJI said, "A sense of objectivity in the decision-making process is maintained." Further, CJI responded to critics of the Basic structure by saying that the "Basic structure is the north star for Constitution". Similarly, for Delhi Police, its screening committee is not only its north star but its basic structure, which guarantees long-term transparency in the force. Top sources of MHA indicate that "this nonsense was staged by few Special CPs(who are desperate for influence) to put Delhi Police Commissioner in the eye of the storm". Regardless of what played backstage, Delhi Police must be undeterred from diktats of yellow journalism and groupism of Special CPs to continue to guide and maintain its institutional transparency by the force of screening committee.