BENGALURU:
In a recent drug peddling case, the Odisha police have arrested a head constable from the Jigani police station in Bengaluru Rural District. Along with the constable, three other individuals were also apprehended, and the police claim to have seized 17.5 kg of ganja, valued at ₹1 lakh.
However, the Karnataka police have denied these allegations and stated that the head constable was actually involved in an ongoing investigation, and the ganja that was found was a part of the evidence collected.
In response to these developments, the Karnataka police have decided to approach the Orissa High Court to request the dismissal of the FIR against their personnel.
A senior official, who is defending the arrested constable, has stated that this entire incident occurred due to a miscommunication between a Karnataka police team that was conducting an investigation into a narcotics case and the local Odisha police.
On Friday, the Sarangada police arrested Anand K., the head constable from the Jigani police, along with Sham Kumar, a well-known drug peddler, and his two associates, Jayanth Kumar and Naresh Kumar.
According to reports, the police officer and the trio were waiting for a bus to Berhampura when they were apprehended by the local police. The accused attempted to flee but were captured after a pursuit.
Mr. Anand has claimed that he was in Odisha for an investigation and was pursuing a peddler who was connected to a case registered at the Jigani police station.
However, the local police have expressed doubts, stating that there were no other policemen present with him during the arrest, and he had not informed the local police station about his operation.
Furthermore, he had no documentary evidence to support his claim, and as a head constable, he did not have the authority to investigate a narcotics case.
However, the case has embarrassed the Karnataka police as this is not the first time that personnel who have gone to investigate cases in other States were arrested by their counterparts.
This July, city police inspector Shivaprakash, with three junior officers, were arrested by the Kalamassery police in Kerala for accepting a bribe from the accused in a cyber crime case.
