VIJAYAWADA: Patamata CI Ch Ravikanth, who was accused of being grossly negligent in the filing of chargesheet and other proceedings in the rape and murder case of Himabindu, has been suspended by police commissioner AB Venkateswara Rao along with two other policemen - Syed Khadhar Hussian (head constable) and P Narasimha Rao (constable).
According to official sources, CP AB Venkateswara Rao issued suspension orders Thursday night. The CP had taken the decision as one of the six accused in the case, Janapala Krishna, was granted bail by the fourth additional chief metropolitan magistrate court on Aug 13 due to the failure of the police. The CP reportedly observed that the police had failed to submit a comprehensive chargesheet in the court. He personally witnessed the arguments in the case. It is said that the CP was not informed about the bail to the accused.
It may be recalled that Himabindu (41), wife of a bank manager, was gangraped and murdered on March 15 and her body dumped in an irrigation canal by a six-member gang. Her body was found in the canal two days later on March 17.
Governor ESL Narasimhan directed the police to arrest the culprits and punish them severely. However, the chargesheet filed by the police was reportedly returned by the court twice as it was incomplete.
Relatives of Himabindu have been raising doubts over the way the Patamata police have been handling the case right from the beginning. The police initially announced that the case would be tried in a fast track court. Strangely, the file was reported missing in Hyderabad where it was sent for trial by a fast track court.
FACT FILE