Patna: The central deputation of outgoing Katihar superintendent of police Siddharth Mohan Jain has been put on hold after a video showing him indulging in celebratory firing during a farewell party went viral on social networking sites on Tuesday evening.
The event was jointly organised by the Katihar police association and the district administration to bid adieu to Jain and district magistrate Mithilesh Mishra. The event was organised at the railway golf ground in Katihar, around 300km northeast of Patna.
Jain, a 2006 batch IPS officer, had been earlier relieved for deputation with the CBI. Mishra had been transferred to Patna as IG (prison).
Both officers were seen in the video celebrating along with their subordinates. Jain reportedly fired nine rounds in the air with his service revolver.
The police headquarters took strong note of the celebratory firing by Jain after a meeting convened by director-general of police K.S. Dwivedi.
Additional director-general (headquarters) S.K. Singhal said: "This is unacceptable. We will investigate the matter and take strict action against him. His central deputation has been stayed till then."
Jain was selected for a four-year central deputation stint with the CBI. The state home department had issued his transfer order on April 27, when over 70 IAS and IPS officers were given new postings. Jain had earlier faced the Bihar human rights commission's wrath for producing a senior government official in court after tying a rope around his waist.
The video that went viral on social media showed Mishra, a 2011 batch IAS officer, singing a song from the blockbuster Sholay, Ye Dosti Hum Nahi Todenge. Jain couldn't restrain himself and whipped out his service revolver and fired nine shots in the air apparently to match the beats of the song. However, nobody was injured in the firing.
"Everybody present at the party was taken aback over the sudden behaviour of the SP. He kept firing until he had emptied his clip," a DSP rank officer, who was present at the party, said under cover of anonymity.
Notices have also been issued to two other outgoing SPs - Ashish Bharti (Munger) and Rakesh Kumar (Vaishali) - over the manner in which they celebrated their transfers.
