Bengaluru drugs racket: 3 inspectors suspended for 'dereliction of duty'

Bengaluru: In a major administrative action after the exposure of an illegal drug manufacturing network in Bengaluru, the city police commissioner on Monday ordered the suspension of 3 police inspectors for alleged dereliction of duty and failing to gather prior intelligence.

The suspended inspectors are V Shabarish of Bagaluru station, Chetan Kumar M L of Kothanur station and Ramakrishna Reddy of Avalahalli station. 

City police commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh said that the three inspectors had been placed under suspension after a preliminary inquiry revealed serious lapses in intelligence gathering, especially during field-level monitoring initiative ‘Mane Manege Police’ (police to every home).

According to senior police officers, the suspended inspectors failed to collect and act upon private intelligence inputs related to suspicious activities in their respective jurisdictions, which reportedly enabled the drug network to operate undetected for a long period.

“The officers concerned did not exercise due diligence in monitoring their areas and failed to develop local intelligence, despite indications of illegal activities,” a senior official told DH.

Police sources said the commissioner ordered departmental proceedings against the inspectors and directed for detailed internal inquiry to ascertain accountability at various levels. Further action will be taken based on findings of the inquiry, they told DH.