KOCHI: Kochi City Police conducted a surprise check at the Armed Reserve (AR) Camp near Marine Drive on Monday night, leading to the arrest of two police officials who were found in an inebriated state while on duty. The individuals apprehended were both Senior Civil Police Officers (SCPOs) and one of them was discovered unconscious due to excessive alcohol consumption in the Motor Transport (MT) Wing of the AR Camp.
The surprise check was prompted by a tip-off received by Kochi City Police Deputy Commissioner S Sasidharan, indicating that the police personnel were consuming alcohol during their working hours. To catch them off guard, Deputy Commissioner Sasidharan ordered the search, which was conducted by Assistant Commissioner of Police C Jayakumar from Ernakulam, along with his team members and a Sub Inspector ranked officer from Ernakulam North Police Station. The operation was carried out discreetly without divulging any information to ensure the element of surprise.
“The team led by ACP reached the AR camp around 9.30 pm and conducted an inspection. The team found two SCPOs in the restroom of the MT wing in an inebriated condition. A glass filled with liquor was found near an SCPO who was sitting in the restroom. Another SCPO was found lying unconscious and talking gibberish under the influence of the liquor,” sources said.
The search also uncovered a 750ml liquor bottle inside the restroom, with approximately 150ml of left in the bottle. Following the discovery, both officials underwent a medical test, which confirmed the presence of a high level of alcohol in their blood samples. The liquor bottle and glass were seized as evidence, and after consulting with higher authorities, it was decided to arrest both police officials. They were subsequently transferred to Ernakulam Central Police late at night, where they were held in custody.
Ernakulam Central Police confirmed that a case was registered against the individuals under the Kerala Abkari Act 15(c), which pertains to consuming liquor in a public place. The arrested officials were released on bail on Tuesday. In addition to the legal case, Kochi City Police Commissioner K Sethuraman will take disciplinary action against the duo. Furthermore, it has been decided that strict measures will be implemented against any police officers found consuming alcohol during duty hours. Regular surprise checks will now be conducted at police stations and AR camps to ensure compliance with these regulations.