Rajesh Meena, a suspended Ajmer superintendent of police had been recommended for a police medal. He was arrested by the anti-corruption bureau on Wednesday for extorting money from station house officers in the district through a middleman.
Sources said state police headquarters had recommended his name for a police medal and the state government had forwarded it to the Centre.
Following his suspension after the anti-corruption bureau (ACB) unearthed unaccounted money of over Rs 5 lakh from his residence, the government, on Friday, has written to the Centre asking to remove his name from the list of officials to be honoured on Republic Day.
However, people at the police headquarters wonder how he managed a recommendation for the medal. It is said he had good liaison with senior officials to get a recommendation.
ACB officials said his middleman Ramdev used to roam around in police vehicles for monthly collection from SHOs. On Wednesday, he had used additional SP (city) Lokesh Sonwal’s vehicle for the job. Sonwal is also a co-accused in the case.
The ACB has recovered nine slips from Ramdev’s possession related to various police stations. These slips have different amounts ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 20,000 written on them.
On interrogation, Ramdev said he was paid a monthly remuneration of Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 for the job.
The ACB team searched his home in Jodhpur and found horoscopes of several IPS officers in the state. Documentary evidence also showed senior officers attending his son’s wedding and inauguration of his business establishments in Jodhpur.
ACB sources said SHOs used to pay Meena for getting transfers and postings of their choice and tampering with the investigation of cases.
According to police officers he had made about 800 transfers after his posting in Ajmer in 2010.
Meena, who was in police remand for a day was sent to jail on Friday, while his middleman Ramdev has been given three days’ judicial remand.
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