The case pertaining to the seizure of illicit drugs near the residence of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai is getting murkier.
On Wednesday, Bengaluru city top cop Kamal Pant suspended RT Nagar police inspector Ashwath Gowda and sub-inspector Veerabhadra Swamy for dereliction of duty. Gowda and Swamy are accused of diluting the charges against the two policemen who were caught with about 10 kg of ganja just 100 metres from Bommai’s private residence in RT Nagar, North Bengaluru, on January 13.
Wearing police uniform and deployed to guard Bommai’s residence, head constable Shivakumar and constable Santosh Naukar were found cooped up in an auto with two private individuals and possessing the contraband. The cops were said to have seized the contraband from a house in Koramangala and were demanding money to let the duo go scot-free.
Although RT Nagar police arrested both the cops and the two individuals after receiving a phone call about some “suspicious” activity, they significantly diluted the charges against the apprehended policemen.
While the ganja seized from the cops’ possession was of commercial quantity, the RT Nagar inspector and his deputy booked them only under section 20B of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. The section deals with the possession of small quantities of illicit drugs and prescribes a maximum punishment of six months, fine or both.
The dilution of the FIR helped both Shivakumar and Naukar get bail in just five days, on January 18. Taking serious note of the matter, police chief Pant placed both the RT Nagar cops under suspension. He also issued notices to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) Joshi Srinath Mahadev and DCP (VVIP security), seeking an explanation about the events.
Joshi was issued the notice because the Koramangala police station where the arrested constables were posted falls under his jurisdiction.
Sources claim that both Shivakumar and Naukar had previously come under the scanner for being involved in illegal activities but their immediate bosses did not take any action against them. On the contrary, they were deployed to guard the chief minister’s residence. The DCP (Southeast) has been asked to furnish an explanation. Additionally, an inquiry has been initiated against the arrested constables’ reporting officer, the Koramangala police inspector, to explain the circumstances of their deployment for Bommai’s security.
The DCP (VVIP security) has been issued the notice because he “clearly failed” to carry out the main task assigned to him: verifying the antecedents of staff deployed to guard official dignitaries, sources said.
This apart, the police top brass has decided to reward the RT Nagar Hoysala patrolmen who had arrested the uniformed constables and showed them no leniency.
The dope seizure and the policemen’s involvement in it deeply embarrassed the government and gave ammunition to the Opposition to target the chief minister.
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