Srinagar, Nov 27: Director General of Police (DGP) Rashmi Ranjan Swain on Monday said that Global Positioning System (GPS) trackers will play critical role they play in monitoring individuals who have received bail under specific conditions.
Talking to reporters in Jammu, DGP Swain said there are legal context and operational context, both are interconnected.
“Operational context is that those who do repeated offences be it terrorism, smuggling of narcotics, or heinous offences of some sort when they get bail, it is given on the condition that they will not commit another crime, will not tamper with the evidence, and will not avenge the witnesses,” he said.
He went on to clarify that bail granted on these conditions does not imply the closure of the case, and the legal system places its trust in the individuals to adhere to the stipulated bail conditions.
DGP Swain elaborated on the practical implementation of GPS trackers, stating, “The first tracker was installed on an individual who was carrying Rs 50 lakh in a cylinder for terrorist and separatist financing.
“Through the tracker, we can monitor his movements and ensure that he complies with the bail conditions following the orders of the Court,” he said.
Earlier on Saturday, Ghulam Mohammad Bhat, an accused in a terror-related case, become the first case in Jammu and Kashmir to be tagged physically with a Global Positioning System (GPS) tracker anklet to monitor his movement round-the-clock.
The prosecution department of the Zonal Police Headquarters (ZPHQ), Jammu, has cited the rare case as new means for “close monitoring of the terror accused” and as one of the stringent conditions for grant of bail under the UAPA, 1967.
Heeding to the merits put forth by the prosecution, the Special NIA Court, Jammu, in a rare instance, “passed an order directing the Jammu and Kashmir police to affix a GPS tracker anklet on Mr. Bhat”. The court, as part of bail conditions, directed for “strict monitoring of Bhat” and allowed the use of a tracker.
From the day one, DGP R.R. Swain is emphasizing the importance of employing modern technology for monitoring security in Jammu and Kashmir.
He recently directed security forces to continue their efforts to keep pressure on anti-peace elements to prevent any resurgence of terrorist groups.
DGP said that there are currently very few active terrorists in the region but warned of potential attempts to disturb the peace.
He also instructed security forces to carry out operations in higher-altitude areas to eliminate hidden terrorists.
