Inspector dismissed for allowing encroachment on police station land; two officers suspended for letting accused get away

A police inspector who facilitated the encroachment of a piece of land belonging to his own police station three years ago and also sold a seized auto-rickshaw was dismissed from service on Wednesday.

H T Jayaramaiah, who was station in-charge of Nandini Layout police station, had allowed the owner of an adjacent building to encroach on land belonging to the police station. Jayaramaiah's last posting before dismissal was inspector, VIP security section.

Dereliction of duty

Based on a tip off, the home department initiated a departmental enquiry, which found that Jayaramaiah had allowed the adjacent State Trading Corporation Limited to demolish an old strong room, which was used to store seized articles. A couple of coconut trees and a flower garden had also been ruined in the process.

Despite all this, Jayaramaiah neither took any action himself, nor informed his seniors. Apart from that, Jayaramaiah is also accused of selling an auto-rickshaw, which had been seized by him in a robbery case.

Jayaramaiah had sold the vehicle by forging the documents instead of tracking its real owner and returning the rickshaw to him.

Based on the two serious allegations, a committee had been formed to probe into the allegation and an assistant commissioner of police had been deputed to investigate the case. Jayaramaiah has, however, clarified that he himself ordered the demolition of the strong room to facilitate movement of police vehicles in the station premises. "I had ordered the demolition of the strong room and had handed over the auto rickshaw to the real owner, who turned out to the father of one of the accused in the case," he said.u00a0

He also alleged that the enquiry officer was trying to implicate him in this case despite his providing the officer with substantial evidence to clarify the facts. However, the enquiry concluded that Jayaramaiah was responsible for dereliction of duty and also for misusing his powers.

A detailed probe by the disciplinary committee headed by city police commissioner S M Bidri found Jayaramaiah guilty and ordered his dismissal with immediate effect.

Facilitating escape

The police commissioner has also ordered the suspension of a woman police inspector and an assistant sub-inspector for allowing a dowry-harassment accused to escape from custody.

Inspector S Satyavathi, in-charge of Basavanagudi women police station, and Assistant Sub-Inspector T Saraswathi had detained a software engineer in a dowry harassment case. The accused obtained anticipatory bail from the 17th Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate soon after his escape. Like Jayaramaiah, Satyavathi and Saraswathi did not inform seniors about the incident and did not make an honest effort to arrest the accused.

Police officials refused to comment on the cases as the dismissal and suspensions were as per government orders.