Gaya: The Gaya chief judicial magistrate's court has ordered attachment of the property of Pawan Kumar, station house officer (SHO) of the Chakand police station in the district.

The SHO, arrested on charge of receiving a bribe of Rs 1.16 lakh in cash, escaped from police custody on May 19 and has been absconding since.

Confirming the receipt of the court order to attach the absconding SHO's property, senior superintendent of police (SSP) Rajiv Mishra said: "The court order will soon be executed."

SSP Mishra raided the police station and made the arrest personally on receiving a complaint that the SHO was taking bribe to help liquor smugglers. The cash had been recovered from the SHO's possession.

Thereafter, the SHO was kept in the custody of a deputy SP but he escaped. Pawan has been absconding since then. Several police raids to nab the absconding SHO proved futile.

Immediately after the SHO's escape, the SSP ordered an internal inquiry to fix responsibility for the incident and identify police personnel who may have helped the SHO escaping police custody. ASP Sanjay Bharti was made the inquiry officer of the case.

On the point of follow-up action to punish officers who allegedly helped the SHO escape from custody, the SSP said he could not find time to pursue the matter. "Now, I will pursue the matter and take appropriate action," said the SSP.

Admitting that a police officer's escape from custody was a serious matter, zonal inspector-general Naiyyer Hasnain Khan said he had directed the SSP to take the SHO case seriously and take action against those entrusted with the SHO's custody.