Want info from Delhi police? Shell out Rs 1.5 lakh!

New Delhi: If you want information about stolen mobiles in the capital, you may have to shell out about Rs 1.5 lakh to the city police. Delhi-based social activist Subodh Jain got a rude shock when he received a letter from Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Robin Hibu asking him to deposit Rs 13,949 as advance for information he sought on the number of cases of mobile thefts in the city under the RTI Act.
“If I want information from each of the 10 police districts and I pay the said amount for each police district, then I may have to shell out Rs 1.5 lakh,” Jain said, quoting the letter.

Jain filed an RTI application on October 16 with Delhi Police headquarters seeking information about details of number of cases of mobile phone thefts in the capital, the number of those recovered and recovery strategy of the police, among others.

DCP Headquarters Keval Singh forwarded the application to all district DCPs and it was only Hibu who replied to Jain.

Hibu, in his letter, said the point-wise information sought by Jain was “lengthy and time consuming” to compile.

“In addition, a considerable strength of manpower of (Hibu's) office as well as all police stations will be utilised to compile this information,” he said.

According to Hibu, a sub-Inspector from his office would have to be deputed for the job for two days, the cost of which was calculated at Rs 1,546.

Apart from it, Jain would also have to pay Rs 1,353 for deputing a head constable for three days while another Rs 11,050 for 13 constables for their services for two days in this connection, the letter said.

Hibu was not available for comment.

Source: mumbaimirror.com