Two Police Officials Face Suspension in Vaishali
In a significant disciplinary action, the Vaishali district police in Bihar have suspended two of its officials, including a Station House Officer (SHO). The suspension order was issued on Sunday following serious allegations of procedural lapses and misappropriation of seized items during a raid conducted last month.
The Raid and the Recovery
Acting on a specific tip-off, a police team from Lalganj police station conducted a raid on December 30 at the residence of one Rampreet Sahni in Bilanpur village. The operation led to the recovery of a cache of suspected stolen articles.
The items officially listed in the seizure memo included:
- Three television sets
- Two live cartridges
- One misfired cartridge (empty shell)
- A number of copper and other metal utensils
However, the police investigation later revealed a critical omission. Gold ornaments and an unspecified amount of cash were also allegedly recovered during the same raid but were conspicuously absent from the official seizure list.
Investigation Uncovers Major Lapses
Upon receiving information about the irregularities, Vaishali Superintendent of Police (SP) Lalit Mohan Sharma constituted a special investigation team. The team was led by Additional Superintendent of Police (Traffic) Prem Sagar.
The probe found glaring violations of standard operating procedure by the involved officers. Inspector Santosh Kumar, the SHO of Lalganj, and Sub-Inspector Sumanji Jha, posted at the same station, were found responsible for the lapses.
The investigation highlighted two major failures:
- The officers failed to conduct a mandatory videography of the seizure process.
- They did not include all recovered items, specifically the gold and cash, in the seizure list.
The probe report was forwarded to Tirhut Range Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Chandan Kumar Kushwaha, with a recommendation for strict action. Following the DIG's direction, both officials were suspended.
Past Conduct and Current Consequences
SP Sharma further disclosed that this was not the first instance of negligence by the suspended duo. He stated that the officials had previously failed to take appropriate action in a case related to the fraud and physical exploitation of a woman from Madhya Pradesh.
Even when asked for an explanation in that earlier matter, the officers did not furnish a satisfactory response. The cumulative record of negligence contributed to the disciplinary action.
As per the suspension order, SI Sumanji Jha has been attached to the police lines until further notice. The action underscores a crackdown on procedural indiscipline and aims to reinforce accountability within the police force.
