PATNA: While police in Bihar has been mandated with the task of implementing prohibition, two functionaries of an association of the State police personnel were on Thursday arrested after being found drunk.
Bihar Police Men’s Association (BPMA) zonal president Nirmal Singh and the association’s secretary Shamsher Singh were arrested at the police lines in Patna for having consumed liquor. The duo was produced in the special excise court of Judge Ravindra Nath Tripathi, who remanded them to a 14-day judicial custody.
“I was informed that there was a drinking session and some trouble at the police lines. Upon visiting the site, I found these two officials drunk. They were arrested as per the law,” said Patna SSP Manu Maharaaj.
Several police personnel in civil dress were seen reaching the court apparently in support of the arrested duo. Shamsher Singh told journalists outside the court that he and Nirmal Singh were being “punished for raising the voices of the association members”. Maharaja, however, rubbished this allegation.
The arrests were welcomed by the Bihar Police Association president Mritunjay Singh. Ruling JD(U) spokesperson and MLC Neeraj Kumar said, “It is a good step that shows the rule of law is intact in Bihar. The law is the same for everyone”.