Three excise staff suspended for trying to frame strict officer in fake case

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The excise commissioner has suspended three officers who tried to trap an inspector attached with Aryankavu checkpost by filing a fake complaint that he had behaved indecently with a woman passenger during inspection. The reason for levelling such an allegation was that the officer was strict in his duty and did not allow the subordinates to take bribes.

Preventive officers Nishad and Salim and civil excise officer Muhammed Shehin were suspended on the basis of an inquiry carried out by Excise Vigilance Officer K Mohamed Shafi. The trio was found to have mailed a complaint in the name of a fictitious person, Deepa K Kadakkal, to the chief minister and excise senior officers.

In the complaint, it was alleged that while she was crossing the checkpost on December 9, 2021, an excise officer misbehaved with her. A photo of Inspector V Anilal in civil dress was also attached in the complaint to point out that he was the suspect.

However, the case turned on its head after the vigilance officer started the probe. During the examination of the CCTV visuals obtained from the three cameras installed at the check post, it was found that the incident as alleged in the complaint had not occurred.

It was then the photograph of the inspector was examined. From the line of angle, it was found that the picture was taken from near the excise check post. There was an iron bar that stood in front of the check post. But to avoid suspicion, the trio took the help of a studio owner and edited out the iron bar from the photograph.

The vigilance officer soon managed to find out the studio where the picture was edited and zeroed in on the suspects. The vigilance officer said the three confessed to their crime. They have been suspended as the department has zero tolerance towards corruption.