If you want to start a private security agency, get a licence from the additional director general of police (internal security division) or end up in prison. This is the warning given by the police department for those who have not procured the licence for years.
According to the internal security division, there are about 800 private security agencies in the state which are providing services to hundreds of companies and residences in the state.
“Only about 280 private security agencies have registered with the department. The rest are running without any licence. More than 50% of the agencies have not bothered to get one. This may be due to lack of knowledge of the rules or due to sheer negligence,” said ADGP (internal security) Bipin Gopal Krishna.
The division has sent warnings to all security agencies to take licence. They were informed that all such agencies must obtain a licence to engage in the business of providing security services according to the Private Security Agencies (Regulation) Act 2005 and the Private Security Agencies (Karnataka) Rules 2008.
According to the provisions mentioned in the said Act, all agencies are required to obtain licence within one year from the commencement of the act and rules. Further, no new agency shall start the business of providing private security agencies without a license.
If any agency undertakes the business of providing security services without the licence, Section 20 of the Act makes the persons who run such agencies liable for imprisonment for a term which may extent to one year or a fine up to Rs25,000 or both.
Bipin said that though sufficient publicity was made previously about the legal provisions, a large number of private security agencies continued to engage in business without a licence. “We have earlier requested them to obtain the licence, but as they have failed, a final warning has been issued. We will arrest the people who have not obtained the licence”, he said.
Bipin has issued letters to multinational companies and other organisations warning them not to hire unregistered security agencies. The police department officers will visit the agencies for verification before providing licence to the agency.
