Sunday saw swift developments for the Bihar Police, with a suspended Deputy Inspector General filing a caste atrocity case against DGP Abhayanand and two other officers, and the police changing the heads and “cancelling” the case claiming that it was registered under pressure.
Suspended DIG Alok Kumar went to the SC/ST police station in Chapra, Saran district, to register a case under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against Mr. Abhayanand; Inspector General (Operations) Amit Kumar; Praveen Vashisth (Economic Offences Unit); and liquor trader Tunnaji Pandey.
However, late in the night, the police “cancelled” the case with Chapra Superintendent of Police Sujeet Kumar, alleging that the DIG “forced ASI (Chandramauli Prasad) to make an entry in the FIR register.”
Mr. Sujeet Kumar told The Hindu on Monday that the case never came into existence as there was no signature of the station house officer Vinod Ram who had not been present for two days. “So I suspended the SHO by 8 p.m. and appointed a new one Sanjay Tiwari in his place. Mr. Tiwari took charge at 11 p.m.”
On taking charge, Mr. Tiwari “cancelled” Mr. Alok Kumar’s case. The ASI filed a complaint against the DIG for wrongful confinement and use of force which were cognisable offences.
“No case has been registered against any of the senior officers. There will be an investigation into the case against Mr. Alok Kumar. As for his complaint, a preliminary inquiry would be conducted since there are serious allegations against high-level officers. If prima facie there is any evidence, the police will register a case against the officers,” the SP said.
The DIG termed the police cancelling the case “unfortunate” and his right to file an FIR had been violated. In his complaint, he alleged that the DGP passed “casteist remarks” against him in public. He had also approached the National Commission for SC/STs.
