A video grab of the accused, Saleem, in the police constable's uniform.
Credit: Special arrangement
Bengaluru: A police constable has been suspended for allowing a notorious serial thief to wear his uniform.
The incident came to light during the investigation of a Rs 17-lakh house burglary in Indiranagar.
The Indiranagar police arrested Saleem, 50, for stealing expensive clothing, including silk sarees, in a recent burglary. The investigation also led to the suspension of constable HR Sonar for negligence, after it emerged that the accused had misused the officer’s uniform.
The police said that Saleem alias Sheikh Saleem and Bombay Saleem, a habitual offender with over 50 house theft cases in Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Pune, was being held in a hotel room during a recovery operation last year.
In the constable's absence, he allegedly wore the uniform and made a video call to his wife, showing off the attire.
The act came to light when the police examined Saleem’s phone and found the photograph, prompting action against the constable.
Saleem was arrested based on intelligence from the Pune police, who intercepted him while he was allegedly travelling by car.