Three Patna policemen were dismissed from service on Wednesday on the charge of protecting the liquor mafia.
Sub-inspectors Sunil Kumar and Bishambhar Prasad and assistant sub-inspector Shrawan Kumar, posted at Beur police station in Patna, were accused of shielding people involved in supply of liquor in the areas falling under their jurisdiction.
Deputy inspector-general (DIG), central range, Rajesh Kumar issued the dismissal orders on recommendation of Patna senior superintendent of police (SSP) Manu Maharaaj. The SSP had earlier ordered an investigation into the role of the police officers in question and found the allegations against them to be true.
SSP Maharaaj said the trio had let go a vehicle carrying a huge quantity of alcohol during patrolling in February this year. Police sources said call details of their mobile phones established the policemen's proximity to the accused.
Departmental proceedings were initiated against the trio. Superintendent of police (west) Ravindra Kumar, who was appointed the officer in-charge of the probe, submitted his report last week. A formal recommendation for sacking the cop trio was sent to the DIG, who is the competent authority to issue the orders.
Agreeing with the SSP's recommendation, the DIG issued the order of dismissal of Sunil, Bishwambhar and Shrawan. The state government has also taken a serious note of withdrawal of the suspension order of then Sasaram Mufasil police station house officer (SHO) Birendra Prasad Yadav in Rohtas district. Yadav was suspended in January this year on the charge of going soft against illicit liquor brewers at Beda village in Rohtas.
The disciplinary action against Yadav was taken on the directive of inspector-general (Patna zone) Nayyar Hasnain Khan, who visited the spot on the chief minister's orders and monitored a day-long operation against liquor brewers at the village.
Yadav's suspension was, however, revoked by the DIG (Shahabad range) Mohammad Rahman on March 3 this year on the recommendation of Rohtas SP Manavjeet Singh Dhillon. Dhillon, authoritative sources said, had recommended the withdrawal of suspension order within a week. Yadav was appointed the Dehri police SHO after the withdrawal of his suspension order.
A senior IPS officer posted at the police headquarters said that the Patna zone IG had been asked to find out under what circumstances the SHO concerned got reprieve.
The IG, in turn, sought an explanation from the Rohtas SP on June 7 this year.
"The SP's reply on the matter is yet to come," a police officer said on the condition of anonymity. "The police headquarters will be provided relevant information after receiving the SP's letter."
The IG's order was faxed to the Rohtas SP on June 8 this year.
On January 24 this year, The Telegraph had lighted the tension prevailing at Beda village following a violent clash between two groups of liquor brewers on the eve of Republic Day. The students of a local government school were prevented from taking part in the Republic Day celebrations.
Taking cognisance of the report (headlined Prohibition zeal backfires on school) published on January 24, chief minister Nitish Kumar had directed the IG Khan to investigate the matter and take appropriate action.
When contacted, DIG (Shahabad range) Rahman told The Telegraph that issuing show-cause notices was part of the job. "There is nothing to worry about it," he added.
