THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The home department has reinstated two DySP-ranked officers who were suspended 20 months ago for having an unholy nexus with criminal gangs in Thiruvananthapuram city. Johnson K J, former Crime Detachment DySP, Thiruvananthapuram rural, and M Prasad, former Vigilance DySP, were reinstated after the oral inquiry against them were completed.
The two officials were suspended by the State Police Chief in January 2023 after they were found to have mediated a financial dispute between two gangsters involved in real-estate business. The police officials were snapped while mediating the dispute between Nidhin and Renjith, an associate of notorious gangster Ohm Prakash. The settlement took place at Nidhin’s house at Muttada, which was also attended by another police officer, Abhilash David, who then worked as Inspector in Railway Police Station.
A nemesis of Ohm Prakash, Nidhin was injured in an attack by an armed gang on January 8, 2023, at Pattoor. It was during the investigation into this attack in which Nidhin was hacked, the police got information about the connections the criminal gangs had with the three police officers. In the subsequent probe, it was revealed that the two DySPs had deeper connections with the criminal gang and they regularly used to visit Nidhin’s house. It was also alleged that the birthday party of the daughter of one of the officers was organised by anti-social elements.
The incidents had embarrassed the department prompting the State Police Chief to take strong action against the erring cops.