The AAP government is all set to crack its whip on private security agencies operating without necessary permissions in the national capital. The government is planning to book the violators under offences for which the owners can be jailed for a period of one year with a fine of up to Rs 25,000. A senior official said about 400-odd private security agencies, with proper licences, are operating in the city. He said: “As many as 348 agencies had been issued licenses till March 2013. But there are said to be many agencies running without proper licences. Once agencies operating without proper licences are identified, we will immediately take tough action against them.”
In a communication to the heads of departments and autonomous bodies, additional secretary (home-II) O.P. Mishra said that there have been innumerable instances where private security guards failed to react in a desired manner because “they are either not trained at all or are inadequately trained.”
Mr Mishra, who is also the controlling authority for the private security agencies, directed all the departments and establishments of the city administration to ensure that the agencies engaged by them have the necessary papers issued under the Private Security Agencies (Regulation) Act, 2005. He also directed the departments to ensure that the guards recruited were duly trained from a training institute approved by the authority. The Private Security Agencies (Regulation) Act was notified by the Parliament in June 2005. The Section 4 of the Act states that no person shall carry on or commence the business of a private security agency, unless he holds a licence issued under the Act. Any person who contravenes it, can either be jailed up to one year or fined Rs 25,000 or may be served both the punishments.
