Telangana polls: Diluting the case and misguiding the investigation was police’s approach instead of legal action
On Wednesday, three police officers of Hyderabad city have been suspended by the Election Commission (EC) for dereliction of duties in a case relating to seizure of cash ahead of the Assembly elections. The suspension came a day before polling for Telangana Assembly elections.
The action was taken in a case relating to the seizure of Rs.18 lakh along with a mobile phone and a cheque book under the limits of Musheerabad Police Station. The cash, mobile phone, and cheque book were seized on November 29 from a vehicle.
The police officers instead of taking proper legal action against the culprits were apparently trying to dilute the case and mislead the investigation by not naming the accused, the Commission stated in a letter to the Chief Secretary.
The action has been taken on the report from the Special Observers.
The SHO booked the case under 102 CrPC against the unknown when the police officers could have booked the case under relevant law by name as the owner of the vehicle, and the cell phone to whom the money belonged could have been ascertained within a few minutes of the seizure.
The Commission said the police officers were found to be acting in a partisan manner and not in a free and fair manner.
The poll panel directed the Chief Secretary to immediately submit a compliance report on the suspension.
Necessary disciplinary proceedings shall be initiated against the erring officers immediately and disciplinary proceedings shall be completed within six months, the EC wrote to the Chief Secretary.
The Commission asked the Hyderabad Police Commissioner to give additional charge/ posting to the eligible officers for the vacancies arising due to suspension from the pool of officers available to him.
The Commission ordered the suspension of Deputy Commissioner of Police, Central Zone, M Venkateswarulu, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Chikkapdpally, A Yadagiri, and Inspector of Police, Musheerabad Police Station, Jahangir Yadav.
[With Inputs from IANS]
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