Pramesh S Jain
T
he state police department gave a farewell parade to head of fire and emergency services who is due to retire after his 34 years of service in June 30 this year.
Mr.Kamal Pant,who held many important posting during his tenure including Bengaluru City police Commissioner has cracked many important cases and brought several initiatives of tackling cyber crime cases effectively and successful implementation of safe city project by installing over 7,000 CCTV cameras across the city to be monitored by the upgraded command centre .
In order to tackle the growing cyber crime cases effectively,Mr.Pant had introduced Cybercrime Incident Report (CIR),initiative to help the victims to report the crime within golden hour and brought the system of freezing the bank accounts affectively to prevent money transfer within golden hour.
A 1990 batch officer,Kamal Pant has graduated M.Sc. (Applied Geology)from Delhi University before joining the police service in 1990.
Born in Uttarakhand,Kamal Pant grew up in Delhi.After clearing the UPSC exam,Pant was selected as a Karnataka cadre police officer and completed his training.
He served as Superintendent of Police in Shimoga and Dakshina Kannada district,Mangalore.
Dakshina Kannada district is Known as communally hypersensitive district and infested with underworld elements.He dealt with all these issues very professionally.
He also firmly curbed labour agitations at New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT) against introduction of mechanized unloading of cargo,whereby it could later become a major container port of India.
Mr.Pant also served on deputation to Central Bureau of Investigation,New Delhi.During his posting as Superintendent of Police,Anti-Corruption Branch,New Delhi,he supervised corruption related cases against high-ranking officials,including DG,CBEC,retired Air Vice Marshal,Chief Commissioner of Customs,Delhi,State Election Commissioner .
He also worked as SP in the internal vigilance unit of CBI i.e.special Unit.
As DIG,he was posted in EO-II Region of CBI,where he also supervised the Investigation of fake stamps cases better Known as Telgi Stamp Scam.
After promotion as IGP he held the charge of Central Range,Bangalore,where under his supervision,sensitive case of shoot-out at Sri.Sri.Ravi Shanakar Guruji Ashram was detected.
He was posted Head of Prison Department,Govt.of Karnataka.He was part of committee,which wrote Model Prison Manual under the directions of Supreme Court of India.
Thereafter,he held the charge of ADGP Law and Order, State of Karnataka for almost 2 years.During the said period,two major elections i.e.State Assembly Election 2018 and Lok Sabha Elections 2019 were conducted under his supervision,for which Election Commission of India recognized his services.
He has a rare distinction of having headed an SIT,which investigated corruption in the office of the Karnataka Lokayukta.The case was finalized by charge sheeting the Lokayukta,his son and others.
One of the tough Commissioners in the history of Bengaluru
Kamal Pant took charge as the Bengaluru Police Commissioner in 2020 and during his tenure as the top cop, cracked many important cases of national and international ramifications and strived hard, facing challenges to maintain law and order.
One of the challenges was a massive riot that broke out in Bengaluru East due to an objectionable post shared by a political leader’s nephew in DJ Halli and KG Halli. Later the top cop also led an investigation into the Sandalwood drug scandal in which many popular actors from the Kannada film industry were allegedly involved.
His administrative skills were further put to test when the popular Bitcoin scam broke out leading to the arrest of hackers.
During the tenure as Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru City,showing Zero tolerance towards Rowdy activities and drug menace in the city,record number of Rowdies were detained under Goonda Act.
Unprecedented action was initiated against foreigners dealing in drugs.
Under his supervision,a software based concept of Cyber Crime Incident Report (CIR),whereby a round-the-clock Cyber Cell was set up to receive complaints,with the support of RBI and payment Gateways and Banks.
Every month,One ‘Jana Samparka Sabhe’ and ‘Sanchara Samparka Sabhe’were being held by all the officers at Police Station level,including himself,Similarly, interaction programme on Twitter or Facebook Live was also held every month to enable online access to Police Commissioner.
Presently he is also working as DGP Recruitment since 17-5-2022.
He bagged many awards including recipient of President’s Police Medal for Meritorious Service and President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service and attended three foreign training courses at Baton Rouge Louisiana USA;National Police Agency Tokyo,Japan and Bavarian Police,Munich,Germany.
On Saturday,the government promoted ADGP,CID, Pronab Mohanty has been promoted as Director General of Police (cyber crimes and narcotics) .
He shall hold concurrent charges of the upgraded post and continue to report to the Director general of Police , CID, until further orders .
Meanwhile,Malini Krishnamurthy,Director General of Prisons and Correctional services has been given concurrent charges of DG fire and emergency services as Mr.Pant is due to retire on June 30.
