VIJAYAWADA: Director General of Police (DGP) D Gautam Sawang suspended Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Vijayawada, Central Zone, P Nagaraja Reddy on Saturday night over corruption charges.
The ACP reportedly demanded money from a builder as one of his workers died after an accidental fall in an under construction site. When the builder took the issue to the notice of the DGP, he instructed Police Commissioner Bathini Sreenivasulu to conduct a departmental inquiry.
According to the Commissioner, the incident took place two weeks ago, when a painter working at a construction site fell accidentally and died while undergoing treatment. The Patamata police registered a case under Section 174 of CrPC (suspicious death) and took up investigation.
However, as Patamata Circle Inspector R Suresh Reddy, was admitted to hospital due to ill-health, the ACP reviewed the cases registered in his zone. The ACP called the contractor and threatened to include his name in the FIR. Fearing inclusion of his name in the FIR, the builder accepted the ACP’s demand and paid the partial amount.
"When the ACP started pressuring him for the remaining amount, the builder approached the DGP who directed us to conduct a departmental inquiry," Sreenivasulu said. The Commissioner warned of stern action if the station house officers (SHOs), sub-inspectors and other police personnel were found involved in corrupt practices.