Odisha: 3 cops suspended for allowing drug smuggler go ‘scot-free’

PTI, Jan 20, 2023, 3:14 PM IST

Three law enforcers were suspended in Odisha’s Boudh district on Friday for allegedly letting a cannabis smuggler go scot-free and keeping in their possession the marijuana recovered from him, a police officer said.

The suspended police personnel were identified as Sanatan Pradhan, an officer at Baghiapada police outpost, besides constables Sanjeev Pradhan and Keshab Pradhan, the officer said.

“The policemen have been suspended and a case has been registered against them”, IG Police (Southern Range), Satyabrata Bhoi, told PTI.

The police personnel had intercepted a man who was transporting 13 kg of cannabis on his motorcycle, on the night of January 17, in Baghiapada area. They seized the contraband and took him to the police outpost.

They brokered a deal with the person and let him go, without taking any action against him. Instead of putting the contraband in the police seizure list and keeping it inside the police station store room, they took it with them and kept it in the official quarters, the officer said.

Officers close to the development said the erring policemen were hand in glove with drug smugglers of the area, used to collect money for allowing movement of the banned substance and used their official quarters as a storehouse for the contraband.

When Boudh Superintendent of Police, Prahlad Meena, came to know of the incident, he ordered an enquiry and directed the Inspector in-Charge of Boudh police station to probe it.

During search operations, the IIC found the contraband at the government quarters of Sanatan Pradhan.

Investigation revealed that he was involved in peddling ganja while the two constables were also involved in the offence, the officer said.