Hyderabad, Nov 26 (IANS) A Sub-Inspector of Police in Hyderabad has been suspended for allegedly mortgaging gold recovered in a theft case.
Bhanu Prakash of Amberpet police station is also facing an investigation over his missing revolver. Police were questioning him to trace the weapon, as there are allegations that he sold the revolver for money.
The SI was allegedly addicted to online betting, and after suffering huge losses, mortgaged the gold recovered in a theft case to repay the loans.
Senior officials have been conducting an investigation against the SI for the last couple of days, but this came to light on Wednesday.
Bhanu Prakash, who hails from Rayachoti in Andhra Pradesh, is a 2020 batch SI. A resident of Himayatnagar in Hyderabad, he has been serving as the SI at Amberpet Police Station for the last couple of years. He initially served as sector SI and was subsequently shifted to the crime wing.
The SI’s illegal activity came to light when senior officials found 43 grams of gold relating to a theft case missing. The gold was seized from a domestic worker involved in the theft.
As the case was settled in the Lok Adalat, the gold was to be handed over to the owner. As the gold was not traced, the SHO launched an internal inquiry. During the questioning, the SI reportedly confessed to having mortgaged the loan with a pawnbroker.
Police seized the gold from the pawnbroker. During the investigation, senior officers also found that the SI’s service revolver was missing. There are allegations that he sold the weapon to meet his expenses.
A case has been registered against the SI. The investigating officials were questioning him to trace the weapon.
Senior officials have taken a serious note of the SI’s action. After suspending him, a departmental inquiry was also initiated against him.
–IANS
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