Seven police personnel from Makarpura police station in Vadodara city, including the Police Inspector (PI) in charge, VN Mahida, were suspended Saturday “with immediate effect” after a primary inquiry revealed that the officials had indulged in the grave “omission and negligence” in a recent case of gambling filed at the police station.
On Saturday, a release from the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Zone III, Yashpal Jaganiya, said, “In a primary inquiry into a case of gambling registered at the Makarpura police station on August 13, 2022, it has come to light that one of the accused in the case was let off without any arrest or procedural action.”
“It reflects a gross omission and negligence on part of the officials. Police Inspector, Makarpura, VN Mahida along with ASI Rajendrasinh Ganpatsinh, Assistant Head Constables Tulsidas Bhogilal, and Vinod Shankarbhai, Assistant Police Constable Ishwar Chandubhai, and Lok Rakshak personnel Mansukh Bhanabhai and Jitesh Maghabhai have been suspended from duty with immediate effect,” it added.
The release further stated that ASI Ganpatsinh and AHO Bhogilal have also been transferred to the police headquarters in Pratapnagar.
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The charge of Makarpura police station has been handed to Police Inspector KR Solanki.
Jaganiya told the Sunday Express that an in-depth inquiry into the case will now be held. Jaganiya said, “The issue came to my notice two days ago and I had ordered a preliminary inquiry, which confirmed that PI Mahida had let off one of the eight accused in the FIR for gambling on August 13, without undertaking any procedural formalities…”
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“When we asked him about it, he said that the said accused was a senior citizen and had been pleading to be let off. Seven others were arrested in the case. The PI should have arrested this accused and then the bail procedure could have been followed. We will initiate a detailed inquiry in the case now,” he added.
Earlier in February, PI Mahida had also been sent on Leave Reserve at the police control room while he was in charge of the Karelibaug police station after the state monitoring cell had busted a prohibition case in the jurisdiction of the Karelibaug police station.