In a shocking incident that exposes a breach of trust within the police force, a driver attached to the Mehdipatnam police station in Hyderabad has been arrested for stealing a mobile phone from seized property. The arrest followed a meticulous investigation that uncovered deliberate tampering with surveillance systems.
Discovery of the Theft and Tampered Evidence
The case came to light when Inspector Ram Babu was checking the seized property related to a theft case on Saturday. He discovered that a mobile phone was missing from the inventory. Suspicious of foul play, staff immediately reviewed the CCTV footage for the station. However, they hit a major roadblock.
The investigation team found that the CCTV cameras had been deliberately disconnected. To make matters worse, there was no recording available on the system's hard drive. A physical inspection revealed that the main connecting wire to the police station had been snapped and the hard disk was physically damaged, pointing to a calculated attempt to destroy evidence.
Technical Recovery and Identification of the Culprit
Undeterred by the sabotage, the police sent the damaged hard disk to a hardware mechanic for data recovery. The expert managed to retrieve the last visuals stored on the device. The recovered footage painted a clear picture of the crime.
The video showed Sravan Kumar, a driver attached to the police station, entering the premises at night while other staff members were occupied. Seizing the opportunity, he entered the inspector's room when it was empty. After bolting the door from the inside, he went straight to the CCTV connection points. The footage captured him disconnecting the cables and damaging the hard disk, presumably to cover his tracks after taking the phone.
Arrest and Charges Filed
Based on the irrefutable video evidence, the police took swift action. Sravan Kumar was taken into custody. It is important to note that the actual offence of stealing the mobile phone took place on November 25, though the case was formally registered on the Saturday when the discovery was made.
The driver now faces serious legal consequences for his actions. He has been charged with trespassing and damaging public property. This incident raises serious questions about the security and integrity of seized property stored within police stations and highlights the need for stricter internal vigilance.
