Kochi: Ernakulam Rural Superintendent of Police Vivek Kumar took disciplinary action against 17 officers after their nexus with sand mafia came to light.
While seven officers were suspended, 10 were transferred to other stations. It is learnt that two more officers may face disciplinary action in the coming days.
The officer-mafia nexus was revealed when authorities checked the phone of a person who was taken into custody for his alleged links to the sand mafia. The probe revealed that police officers in different stations in Ernakulam Rural have close links mafia members.
V M Ali (assistant sub-inspector, Kuruppampady), Manson T Thomas (ASI, Angamaly), T E Ansar (driver, dist head quarters, Kalamassery) P M Sinaj (Aluva SP office) and Jeemon K Pillai, T S Aneesh, and K V Shiju (all CPOs at Perumbavoor police station) were suspended from duty.
Perumbavoor SCPO N K Shyjan Kumar and Ayyampuzha CPO E M Rajesh were transferred to Njarakkal, while Kodanad CPO Sivadasan Kartha, Kalady senor CPO P K Shaji, and Perumbavoor senior CPO N M Salim were transferred to Munambam.
Kunnathunadu CPO Eldho Paul and Kalady SCPO Hameed were transferred to Varapuzha. I M Ibrahim, CPO at Kalamassery DHQ Camp, was transferred to Puthenvelikkara. Eldhose Thomas and Sudeesh Kumar, drivers at Kalamassery DHQ camp, were transferred to Njarakkal and Munambam, respectively.
The action was initiated based on the tip-off received by the Perumbavoor inspector during night patrolling, which he conveyed to Rural SP Vivek Kumar.
