Quarter No. 1-C 87 that was broken into by Chas circle officer Nirmal Kumar Toppo early this week and the report (below) published in The Telegraph in July on a DSP who was in illegal possession of a similar house in Bokaro. (Pankaj Singh)

An FIR has been lodged against a senior deputy collector for breaking into the official accommodation of an additional chief judicial magistrate, the first time such an action has been taken in the steel town where the high and mighty routinely overstay in their quarters provided by Bokaro Steel Limited.

The FIR was lodged late on Wednesday night by head clerk of Bokaro civil court Arvind Kumar Prabhu against Nirmal Kumar Toppo, who has been posted in Chas as circle officer for the last two years, on the directive of Bokaro district judge Amitabh Kumar.

In the FIR, it has been alleged that Toppo broke the lock on the main gate to quarter I-C 87 on Monday and began staying there. Its legitimate occupant, additional chief judicial magistrate Arvind Kumar Pandey, was away at his native place. He is yet to return.

The FIR also alleged that several personal belongings of Pandey were missing, including furniture, utensils and important documents and court papers stored in files kept in a cupboard.

Quarter 1-C 87 is among the many steel plant quarters allotted to the judiciary under “court pool”. There are other quarters that are earmarked for the town administration and police.

The Bokaro district judge sought an FIR to be registered against Toppo when this instance of blatant misuse of power was brought to his notice.

“Yes, an FIR has been lodged against deputy collector Nirmal Kumar Toppo and investigations are on. The law will take its own course,” Bokaro SP Jitendra Singh told The Telegraph today.

When contacted, Toppo refused to comment.

There are more than 200 Bokaro steel plant quarters that are illegally occupied by policemen and officials of the district administration. For instance, traffic DSP R.K Singh has been in illegal possession of quarter 1-C 25 for the last eight months. But despite repeated appeals by senior police officers, he has refused to vacate the house. No FIR has been lodged against him.