Two CCB inspectors suspended for taking kickbacks

A day after an assistant commissioner of police (ACP) was found to have received kickbacks for letting tobacco dealers operate during the lockdown, two inspectors were suspended for being his “partners in crime”.

Niranjan Kumar and Ajay R M, posted in the Economic Offences Wing of the Central Crime Branch (CCB), have been suspended until further orders, Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Sandeep Patil announced on Saturday. Kumar and Ajay worked under Prabhushankar M, who is accused of taking Rs 80 crore in bribes from five tobacco dealers.

The sale of tobacco is banned during the lockdown. The ACB and the inspectors are accused of raiding tobacco dealers and demanding bribes to let them keep their operations going.

Two dealers, who initially paid up the bribe, complained to city top cop Bhaskar Rao after the ACP and the inspectors allegedly demanded more money.

The ACP’s reporting officer, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime-2) Ravi Kumar K P, conducted an inquiry and found the allegations true. Patil forwarded the inquiry report to Rao on Friday who, in turn, sent it to the state police chief, Praveen Sood, recommending the ACP’s suspension, a senior officer said.

Rs 25 lakh has been recovered and the process is on to recover the rest of the money.