DIG nod must for sanction of Rs 25,000 ‘investigation fund'

Time of India

2 days ago

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Bhubaneswar: A home department notification issued on Tuesday mandates that superintendents of police (SPs) and deputy inspectors general (DIGs) must approve the sanction of 'investigation funds' exceeding Rs 10,000 and Rs 25,000, respectively.
State govt launched the 'investigation fund' initiative in April to support expenses during criminal investigations.
According to the home department's guidelines, accessed by TOI, investigating officers (IOs) must self-certify invoices confirming their use in specific investigations.
"Whenever an invoice cannot be reasonably procured, the IO shall provide a certification to that effect and submit it for reimbursement, along with details on the expenditure and its purpose, to the inspector in-charge (IIC)," the guidelines read.
The IIC must countersign bills submitted by the IO and verify the expenditure's necessity.
"For amounts up to Rs 5,000, an IIC's self-declaration suffices. Bills up to Rs 10,000 require sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) endorsement, while those between Rs 10,000 and Rs 25,000 need SP approval. Bills exceeding Rs 25,000 must be endorsed by the range DIG," the notification stated.
Under the 'investigation fund' scheme, murder probes can receive sanctions up to Rs 25,000 per case, covering body transportation, scientific team visits, exhibit sealing and associated activities both within and outside the state.
For rape cases, police authorities can utilise up to Rs 37,000 for investigation purposes outside the state and Rs 18,000 within state. The money supports transportation of survivors and accused, accommodation, evidence handling, witness refreshments and emergency requirements.
Kidnapping investigations are allocated Rs 30,000 for cases beyond state boundaries and Rs 10,000 for within state investigations, the notification read.
Unnatural death (UD) investigations will receive Rs 13,000 for both in-state and outside expenses. Cybercrime investigations are allocated Rs 45,000 for out-of-state and Rs 25,000 for in-state probes.
For drugs and arms smuggling investigations, authorities can spend Rs 35,000 (outside state) and Rs 15,000 (in state) per case. Property-related offences receive Rs 17,000 for both in-state and out-of-state investigation expenses, while miscellaneous cases have a Rs 5,000 limit per case.
The policy follows Odisha police's proposal addressing complaints about officers requesting money from complainants for investigation-related expenses.
"Police often faced criticism for demanding money from complainants to cover costs such as filling of fuel tanks of vans and purchasing train or bus tickets for travel during investigations. In some cases, police stations received financial support from local businessmen for minor expenses," a senior police officer said.