Representative image of a police officer.
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In what has been described as a coincidence, a Bengaluru police inspector was suspended and transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
Manjunath, the inspector of the Halasuru police station, was found not maintaining proper records when Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda inspected it nearly a month ago.
Dayananda said Manjunath’s transfer to the CID “was a coincidence”.
“The inspector had been serving at the Halasuru police station for the last two-and-a-half years and probably his transfer was on the cards,” he told DH. "Me ordering the suspension and him being transferred is a coincidence. During my inspection, I found that maintenance of records, property and investigation of cases was not in order. Despite giving him some time to set things right, he failed to do so.”
A subsequent inquiry was conducted by the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP). “There are no corruption charges. Manjunath was suspended for the lapses found during the inspection and based on the ACP’s report,” Dayananda said.
Ex-minister questions move
BJP MLA S Suresh Kumar on Wednesday addressed a letter to Home Minister G Parameshwara, questioning the transfer of the suspended official to the CID.
Kumar demanded to know the status of the suspension, who was behind the transfer and asked wouldn't such a decision affect the moral strength of the police commissioner.
"The CID should not become a dumping yard for derelict and corrupt officers," Kumar told this newspaper. "Can an impartial inquiry be held by the CID if it is manned by such people? Let the home minister respond to this.”
The former minister said that in the current dispensation, the "right hand is not aware of what’s done by the left hand". "There is some sort of pressure by some people. Because of this the department and the officers are suffering. What power is behind all this?” Kumar asked.