Gurugram Judge Orders Action Against ACP for ‘Improper’ Salute; What Does the Police Manual Say?

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posted on 8 months ago — updated on 1 second ago

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Before leaving the court, ACP Naveen Sharma performed the customary salute – using two fingers to touch his forehead – which offended the judge. He reprimanded Sharma, and asked him from where he had learned to salute. Sharma explained three kinds of salute: One by raising the elbow, another by touching forehead and the police salute.

It is not for the first time that a half salute or a missed salute has miffed a senior officer or a politician. This time, a judge in a court in Gurugram pulled up an assistant commissioner of police (ACP) for not doing the customary salute properly.

According to reports, ACP Naveen Sharma had produced an accused, Anil Sharma, before judicial magistrate (first class) Vikrant (who goes by first name) in a fraud case of Rs 25 lakh earlier this month.

Before leaving the court, ACP Sharma performed the customary salute – using two fingers to touch his forehead – and turned to go, which offended the judge. He reprimanded Sharma, and asked him from where he had learned to salute.

Sharma explained three kinds of salute: One by raising the elbow, another by touching forehead and the police salute.

He also told the court that he was wearing a tight shirt, which made it uncomfortable for him to salute the judge.

Sharma denied allegations against him and said he knows how to salute as it is practised by police officers every day. “I am not a new police officer who had been to the court for the first time. The judge was agitated as we had requested the naib court to inform the judge as we were waiting for over one hour. He humiliated me for no reason and later called me to his room, but I had left by then as I had a meeting to attend,” Sharma said as quoted by Hindustan Times.

He further said he had informed his seniors about the conduct of the judge. He pointed out that since there were no CCTV cameras in the court room, he was unable to provide the recording to “show the reality”. “I had applied for a certified copy of the order on Wednesday to file a revision petition. I have been part of the President’s Parade in February 2022 and led the police parade several times so the question of not knowing how to salute is not true,” he said, as quoted by Hindustan Times.

What Does the Court Order Say About Police Salute?

According to the Gurugram district court’s order to the police commissioner to take action against ACP Sharma, “As soon as the order was passed, investigating officer ACP Naveen Sharma saluted the Chair in an improper manner by just raising his arm and touching two fingers on his forehead. On being asked from where he had learnt this kind of salute, he tried to explain that he had learnt three kinds of salutes i.e. just raising the elbow, touching the forehead and then the proper salute. However, he later realised that the court was not a place to crack jokes and made an excuse that he was wearing a tight shirt, and he was not comfortable saluting. On being questioned, ACP Naveen Sharma informed that he had been inducted in Haryana Police in 2010. The conduct of ACP Naveen Sharma is against the protocol and rules as well,” read the order.

The court said, as per rule, 14.2.(b) of Chapter No. XIV in Vol. II of Punjab Police Rules, 1934 (as applicable to Haryana State), every police officer entering a court of law in uniform, while such court is in session, shall salute the court, irrespective of the rank or status of the judicial officer presiding in such court for the time being.

The order further read, “The court has a reason to believe that ACP Naveen Sharma is in ignorance of the rules which govern his service. He needs to be trained properly to make him aware of the rules and protocol.”

A copy of the order was sent to Vikas Arora, Commissioner of Police, Gurugram, asking him to take “necessary action” against Sharma under the Punjab Police Rules, and submit the report in a week.

The report is being prepared and will be submitted at the earliest, said Karan Goel, deputy commissioner of police (West).

What is a Police Salute?

Salute is not a unilateral ritual, which has to be practised by lower rank officials before high-ranking officers. A senior officer should reciprocate when lower rank officials offer to salute.

According to Chapter V of Police Drill Manual, “A salute is, in fact, the normal greeting between comrades in arms. That a salute is given when a subordinate meets an officer is a basic matter of discipline. That the salute is properly and smartly given is a matter of training. Failure to salute shows disrespect, idleness and a low standard of discipline. Failure by an officer in uniform to insist on being saluted is a breach of discipline.”