Onam reel row at Museum station: Seven cops transferred, DCP begins detailed probe
Seven police officers face disciplinary action following an Onam reel controversy, with a probe investigating their alleged facilitation of accused individuals participating in celebrations at the station.
Seven police officers face disciplinary action following an Onam reel controversy, with a probe investigating their alleged facilitation of accused individuals participating in celebrations at the station.
Seven police officers face disciplinary action following an Onam reel controversy, with a probe investigating their alleged facilitation of accused individuals participating in celebrations at the station.
Thiruvananthapuram: Seven cops with the Museum police station have been transferred to the AR camp as part of disciplinary action on the Onam reel controversy. The DCP-1 will also conduct a probe into the circumstances in which the accused in the case related to the attack on ED officials took part in Onam festivities in front of the Museum police station. The reels shot by one of the accused, I P Binu, were shared widely on social media, sparking a row. The attire of Binu also matched that of the police, fuelling speculations that the shirts were bought by the cops and handed over to Binu.
The disciplinary action against the cops were based on a preliminary investigation by the Special Branch. The report hasn't found any wrongdoing on the part of Circle Inspector Prasanth. "He was unwell and he had officially communicated that he was not in charge on the day celebrations were planned. As for other cops, despite noticing the accused participating in Onam celebrations, they made no effort to prevent it. It was improper and they should not let the accused take part in celebrations on station premises," DIG and Thiruvananthapuram City Commissioner Arul R B Krishna told Onmanorama.
DCP (Law & Order) Shahansha K S will conduct another round of inquiry. "The investigation will centre on whether there was any help from cops for the accused to take part in celebrations or whether other officials had any role in organising celebrations and accommodating the accused in the festivities," the Commissioner said.
The police have already moved the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court- 3, Thiruvananthapuram, to cancel the bail of Binu and another accused, Nithinraj, who were part of the celebrations. The petition filed by the Special Public Prosecutor cited that the accused violated the bail conditions mandated by the High Court.
Onam celebrations in front of the station blew out to be a major embarrassment for the city police after the accused donned the same coloured attire as the cops. Preliminary probe has not found any evidence showing that cops bought the attire for the accused. The reels showed Binu riding a swing and posing happily for photos on station premises.