A Circle Inspector has been suspended in the city on charges of conniving with persons involved in illegal transportation of riverbed sand.
Lakshmikanth, who was serving with District Special Branch of Department of Police, has been suspended. In wake of complaints about illegal transportation of sand within city limits, Superintendent of Police Ravi Channannanavar, who was in disguise, intercepted a truck laden with sand that was entering the city on March 31. As the driver failed to furnish a permission letter from the Public Works Department for transportation of sand, the vehicle was seized.
According to police sources, the truck driver told the Superintendent of Police that he was well acquainted with Mr. Lakshmikanth. The driver then called Lakshmikanth over his mobile phone and requested him to speak to Mr. Channannanavar. The suspended officer, who was under the impression that he was conversing with an officer of lower cadre, directed Mr. Channannanavar to release the seized truck.
Mr. Channannanavar told The Hindu that an investigation would be conducted into the incident.
The CI ‘unknowingly’ directed the Superintendent of Police to release the seized truck
