KOHIMA: The Nagaland Police have suspended 13 personnel of its narcotic cell for allegedly seizing 10 gold bars from smugglers but keeping the authorities in the dark about it, a senior police officer said on Friday.
A criminal case was instituted against them and an inquiry was ordered into the alleged "misconduct of the law enforcers", he said.
The incident took place in September this year but the police action came to light now.
On September 10, at least 13 personnel of the narcotic cell manning the inter-state check gate at Khuzama in Kohima district had reportedly seized the 10 gold bars, Senior Superintendent of Police (Crime) and PRO police headquarters, Manoj Kumar said while interacting with journalists here.
On receipt of the information, a criminal case was registered against the 13 personnel at the state crime police station of the police headquarters in Kohima on September 17, he said.
Reacting to social-media reports that some gold bars were missing from 290 of them, weighing approximately 48.14 kg, recovered by another team at the narcotic checkpoint at Khuzama on October 3, the PRO clarified that it is incorrect.
The seizures made in both the cases are intact at the police malkhana' (godown), he said.