KOCHI: Kochi City Police Deputy Commissioner S Sasidharan suspended the Palarivattom station house officer (SHO) for inaction despite getting multiple complaints of cheating involving a used car businessman.
SHO Joseph Sajan was suspended following an internal inquiry. An assistant SI was transferred from the police station in connection with the matter. CI Girish N has been appointed to replace Sajan as the new SHO.
Forty complaints were lodged with the police against a pre-owned car-selling firm, AB Cars, based in Padivattom, and its owner Amal A S, 35, of Neyyattinkara. Amal used to approach car owners and promise to sell their vehicles at rates higher than the market price. However, after selling the cars, he would not give any money to the original owners. It later emerged that he duped many claiming to be a police officer placed under suspension.
Later, the complainants approached higher police officials. On the DCP’s directive, the police registered FIR against Amal and AB Cars. The case was handed over to Kochi Metro police SHO Manoj K N, who arrested Amal.
It is alleged that Sajan and the other officers at the police station knew Amal and the latter visited the station frequently. The police had recovered a handcuff, air pistol and beacon light from his apartment. However, an inventory check did not show any handcuff missing from police station.