Nine policemen including four from Pondicherry Armed police (PAP) and five from India Reserve Police battalion (IRBN) have been placed under suspension for suspected police-criminal nexus.
The orders were issued by Senior Superintendent of Police (C & I) R A Sanjeev on Thursday and Friday, following an inquiry by SP (Armed police)Praveen kumar Tripathy.
ASI Govindan, two head constables, one woman police constable and five IRBN constables were placed under suspension.
It is said that while escorting nine accused in the murder of a liquor merchant Ramu from Puducherry Central prison to Karaikal, the policemen had indulged in merrymaking with food and drinks along with the accused. The incident happened on August 21.
Officials said that disciplinary proceedings would be taken after issuing a showcause notice.
It might be recalled that the Opposition parties in the Union territory have been alleging growing police-criminal nexus and it was emboldening the criminals to commit crimes.
Now with government and police facing the heat, the police department had swung into action.