Police raid businessman, SI spirits away gold ingot
BENGALURU: A police sub-inspector (SI) attached to Halasuru Gate police station is in the dock for allegedly taking a gold ingot, worth Rs 10.85 lakh, from a gold businessman. The businessman filed a complaint, seeking action against the PSI and another policeman.Siddheshwar Hariba Shinde, who runs Sanskar Enterprises, a gold bullion business at Bettappa Lane in Nagarathpet, and a refinery on Kempanna Lane in the same area, has accused PSI Santosh of theft.
Shinde alleged in the complaint that there was a theft by an employee on January 29, and the ACP of Halasuru Gate sub-division referred the probe to Wilson Garden police, and the case was cracked. “Halasuru Gate police held a grudge as the case was not assigned to them, and SI Santosh had warned me. Around 6pm on March 12, inspector Shivakumar and a constable came to my shop and started taking whatever they could lay their hands on, without giving any reason. They took gold and cash from my shop, and took me to the police station.
“There, I found staff from my refinery and my brother Sharath, who manages the refinery. Police kept us at the station till 11pm, and asked us to come the next day. I got to know from my brother that SI Santosh and another policeman, Hugar, had gone to the refinery and taken a gold ingot weighing 266.74 gm, while bringing them to the station,” Shinde stated in the complaint.
When he went to the station the next morning, police reportedly called Income Tax officials, and some paperwork was done. “I was taken to the IT office, and returned only in the evening. What I made out from the records in the IT office is that Halasuru Gate police had handed over only cash and gold taken from my shop, while the gold taken from the refinery by SI Santosh and Hugar was not accounted for. On March 13 (Saturday) evening, I went to the police station but no senior officers were present, and I was asked to return on Monday. I asked for the gold, but the policemen did not respond,” he alleged.
He also claimed that the police inspector and his team are fully aware that the gold ingot, worth Rs 10.85 lakh, was taken by Santosh and Hugar. “It is a meticulously planned and executed robbery by police officials,” he alleged.A senior police official confirmed that the matter is under investigation and a Departmental Enquiry has been initiated against the errant SI and others.