Bengaluru sub-inspector suspended after man ends life in police custody

Bengaluru police chief Kamal Pant has suspended a sub-inspector and ordered departmental enquiry against four cops over the suicide of a 63-year-old cheating suspect in police custody.

The deceased, Siddalinga Swamy, reportedly jumped to his death from the balcony of his second-floor house in Vidyaranyapura, North Bengaluru, on Friday.

Swamy, a real estate agent, was accused of taking lakhs of rupees from several people on the false promise of allotting them BDA sites. Police believe he had forged the signature and seal of several BDA officers.

A police complaint was registered against him in December 2020 but he was arrested only on February 24. Police also got his custody to question him about the case.

On Friday afternoon, a team of policeman took him to his house in Vidyaranyapura for conducting mahazar (spot inspection) after he told them that he had created the fake property papers on his personal computer.

'Ashamed to see family'

His wife and daughter were at home at the time. Police say he was ashamed to see his family, walked into the kitchen and jumped off the balcony.

A senior officer said that although the policemen weren’t to blame for the suicide, they should have been cautious and prevented him from ending his life.

Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Pant announced the suspension of sub-inspector Manjunath Kattimani, and departmental inquiry against him and head constables Ravi Aradhya, Mruthyunjaya and a constable named Umesh. They are all from the Hanumanthanagar police station.

According to the police chief, a preliminary inquiry had established the negligence of the police officers.

The case will now be probed by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and there will also be a magisterial enquiry, Pant explained.