Suspended for drinking while on duty, SI reinstated, 3 cops booked for conspiracy

A Sub-Inspector (SI), who has been suspended for consuming liquor in uniform outside a liquor shop, has alleged that three constables had hatched a conspiracy against him and allegedly doctored his video and made it viral.

SP, Solan, Gaurav Singh had suspended the SI deputed as traffic in-charge on November 19 after he was found demanding and consuming liquor while wearing uniform.

Meanwhile, on the SI’s complaint, the Solan police booked the three constables on the charges of cheating, making false electronic documents with intent to cause damage, circulating false information, defamation and criminal conspiracy on December 13.

He alleged that as he was performing the duty of traffic in-charge with sincerity, some people harboured animosity towards him and wanted to remove him from the post. He stated in the FIR assessed by The Tribune that to tarnish his public image, a video where he was seen purchasing liquor outside a shop was made viral on November 18. He alleged that it was an edited version, which was released to spoil his image, as he was suspended after it went viral on social media and he faced a department probe.

He claimed that the video of October 25 when City police station in-charge Ashish Kaushal’s transfer party was organised at hotel Mezban. After the party, he met an acquaintance, Neeraj, who told him to get him a beer bottle, following which they visited a liquor shop at Chambaghat around midnight. The shop was closed but a small cabin was in its shuttle was still open. He asked for a beer bottle but since it was quite late, the salesman first refused to oblige but then gave him on payment.

The SI alleged that two or three youth known to Neeraj came there while he was unaware of their presence and an unknown autorickshaw driver filmed him and the video was made viral after several days. He alleged that as traffic in-charge he had reprimanded three constables for not performing their duties properly and had apprised the SP about their misconduct. As a result, the constables were transferred to other police stations.

The SI claimed that the episode had caused him mental and physical distress while spoiling the image of the police. SP Gaurav Singh said that the three constables named in the FIR had been suspended after a preliminary probe. He confirmed that the SI’s suspension had been revoked and he had been put on protocol duty.

In the video, the SI can be seen asking for liquor and the salesman telling him to pay. The police official instead told the salesman his name and asked for beer bottles. He tried to open the downed shutter while his associate used an abusive language. The FIR was registered more than three weeks after the incident. The SP said that the cellphones of the constables would be confiscated and sent for forensic examination to establish the allegations.