11 cops suspended for links with drug peddlers in Bengaluru, face probe

BENGALURU: Eleven cops, including Chamarajpet police inspector attached to the West Division of Bengaluru City Police, were suspended for allegedly colluding with drug peddlers to sell narcotics under police protection. The officers are accused of working with the peddlers, who were selling narcotics in and around the West Division, and of receiving money in exchange for providing them protection. The peddlers were allegedly paying police officials a commission of around Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 2 lakh in exchange for protection. It was also alleged that the police personnel used to attend parties with the peddlers. They will now face a departmental inquiry for their alleged involvement with the gang. The suspended officials include Chamarajpet Inspector T Manjanna, head constables Ramesh and Shivraj, and Constables Madhusudan, Prasanna, Shankar Belagali, and Anand; from JJ Nagar police station, Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Kumar, head constables Anand, constables Basavan Gowda and Mahesh Kumar. The suspension comes at a time when the state government has announced its aim to make Karnataka a drug-free state. A senior police officer said that the RR Nagar police arrested six peddlers on August 22 while they were selling tidal tablets to students and others. The police seized 1,000 tablets, which cannot be sold without a doctors prescription. During the investigation, it was found that the accused were in constant touch with police personnel attached to Chamarajpet and JJ Nagar stations. The officer said the matter was reported to Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Kengeri Gate Sub-Division, Bharath Reddy, who then submitted a report to Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) West, S Girish. The case was later handed over to ACP Chandan of Vijayanagar Sub-Division for a detailed probe.