Mass Transfer of Police Personnel in Fatehabad Over Missing Liquor
In a major administrative action, all 49 staffers of the Sadar police station in Fatehabad, Haryana, have been transferred and the station house officer (SHO) booked after 160 cases of seized liquor went missing from the police station's malkhana (storehouse). The unprecedented move came after an inquiry revealed a significant mismatch between official records and the actual stock of seized alcohol.
The case first reached the office of the Director General of Police (DGP) through a complaint and was subsequently forwarded to Fatehabad Superintendent of Police (SP) Nikita Khattar. Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Divyanshi Singla was assigned to investigate the matter. During a physical verification of the malkhana, she discovered that 160 liquor cases recorded in official documents were missing.
SHO Booked Under BNS Sections
Based on the inquiry report, SP Khattar ordered immediate action. Sadar SHO Inspector Prahlad Singh was booked under Sections 256 and 316(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and sent to the police lines. Simultaneously, the entire police station staff was reshuffled. Those transferred include seven sub-inspectors, three assistant sub-inspectors, 11 head constables, 16 constables, nine special police officers (SPOs), and three HKRN employees.
Preliminary Findings Suggest Diversion of Liquor
Preliminary findings indicate that court permission had been obtained the previous month to destroy the seized liquor. However, investigators suspect that while the stock was shown as destroyed on paper, a part of it may have been diverted or illegally disposed of. The probe will determine whether the liquor was sold and who may have been involved.
The missing liquor was part of a consignment of 950 cases of English liquor seized from a truck near Ayalki village on March 1, 2024. The truck was allegedly transporting the liquor from Punjab to Gujarat. The consignment was deposited in the police station's malkhana after the arrest of the driver.
Irony: SHO Honored Just Before Scandal
In an ironic twist, Inspector Prahlad Singh had been honored by the district police just last week for his performance. Within days, he found himself at the center of a criminal case.
SIT Constituted for Investigation
The SP has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Jagdish Kajla to investigate the disappearance of the liquor. Officials said the SIT will examine possible collusion, fix accountability, and identify all those involved in the alleged tampering of seized property.
