THOOTHUKUDI: A sub inspector of police attached to Vilathikulam police station submitted his resignation letter after an audio which allegedly exposed his nexus with goat thieves went viral on social media.
The audio features SI Gangainatha Pandian's interactions with a goat thief where he is heard demanding Rs 3 lakh from one of the thieves to prevent detention under Goondas Act. The man on the other side of the phone is heard agreeing to grease his palms the next morning.
When the audio surfaced on February 21, Thoothukudi SP transferred the SI to Armed Reserve force as a punishment. On March 2, he submitted the resignation letter stating that he was not inquired about the allegations, despite him being as a hard working personnel.
Acknowledging that he had indeed spoken to the goat thieves so as to get closer to them to catch the kingpin, Pandian said the interaction was an investigation strategy and the audio was edited to trap him. "The interaction happened some months ago and a full audio will reveal the truth," he said.
He said transferring him to armed reserve force without an inquiry had left him in huge agony as he has been struggling with an one-year-old mentally-challenged child. "That is why I decided to resign from the service," he said.
Attempts to get reaction from Thoothukudi SP Balaji Saravanan and DIG Pravesh Kumar turned futile.