Hyderabad : Three Hyderabad city police officers were suspended by the Election Commission (EC) on Wednesday for failing to perform their responsibilities in a case involving the seizure of cash before to the Assembly elections.
The Commission imposed a suspension on M. Venkateswarulu, the Deputy Commissioner of Police for the Central Zone, A. Yadagiri, the Assistant Commissioner of Police for Chikkapdpally, and Jahangir Yadav, the Inspector of Police for the Musheerabad Police Station.
The case involved the seizure of Rs 18 lakh, a cell phone, and a checkbook under the jurisdiction of Musheerabad Police Station.
The Commission said in a letter to the Chief Secretary that the police officers were attempting to weaken the case and mislead the investigation by not naming the accused, rather than taking appropriate legal action against the offenders.
One day prior to Telangana Assembly polls, there was a suspension.
Regarding the Special Observers’ report, something has been done.
On November 29, the cash, cell phone, and checkbook were taken out of a car.
After a few minutes of the seizure, the police officers could have identified the owner of the car and mobile phone, to whom the money belonged, and booked the case under the relevant statute instead of the SHO using 102 CrPC against the unknown.
According to the Commission, the police officers were not operating in a free and impartial manner, but rather in a politicized one.
The Chief Secretary was instructed by the poll panel to promptly submit a compliance report about 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 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.
