Police officers suspended related to PDS scam

Director General of Police Mukesh Gupta and Police Superintendent of Narayanpur, Rajnesh Singh, were suspended on Saturday in connection with the PDS scam in Chhattisgarh. A SIT has already been constituted to probe the scam. It is being considered one of the biggest actions taken by the Congress-led state government.

Mukesh Gupta was made the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) Inspector General by the previous BJP-led government. He had conducted a raid after his posting at Chhattisgarh State Civil Supplies Corporation, which created a flutter in administrative and political circles. Involvement of several IAS officials, including links with Chief Minister’s residence, came out in the open.

Mukesh Gupta faces the charge that he diverted the probe to save many prominent people. It was during this period that Rajnesh Singh was deputed as SP of EOW.

According to official sources, the allegations against both IPS officers is that in the PDS scheme, a diary was found with notings regarding the payments made to prominent people and the probe revolved around them.

There were also complaints that Mukesh Gupta and the then ACB SP Rajnesh Singh had conducted phone-tapping. It is the basis for the FIR registered against both officials.

EOW had filed FIR against both the officials.

Violation of privacy

Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said, “Stern action will be taken against those indulging in conspiracy. Interception of phone is a violation of privacy.”

Recently, Inspector R K Dubey had approached the High Court citing threat to his life and that of his family. He had through an affidavit submitted that his earlier bosses, Mukesh Gupta and Rajnesh Singh, had forced him to register a complaint regarding the phone tapping against both, so that they can legalise the phone-tapping which was conducted illegally.

The High Court did not provide any relief to Dubey but directed him to cooperate with the probe.