Breaking lockup rules PHQ sets aside IGP Jammu’s order, IGP Armed to hold denovo inquiry

JAMMU: In a surprising move, the Police Headquarters on Thursday set aside Inspector General of Police, Jammu S.D Singh Jamwal’s order in which he had terminated the service of a Sub Inspector and his subordinate (Munshi) on the grounds of breaking lock up rules in the shape of letting detainee go to making an attempt to murder.

Director General of Police Dr S.P Vaid after setting aside the impugned order, further directed IGP Armed, Jammu Danish Rana to hold ‘denovo’ inquiry into the matter, re-examine the issue from all its dimensions and forward findings to the PHQ with specific recommendations within a period of one month.

The DGP ordered fresh inquiry after it finds various lacunae in the previous order issued by the IGP Jammu, including non-following of Rule of 349 of Police Manual, without issuing show cause notice, without giving chance to the punished cops and biased inquiry report by then Enquiry Officer, Adil Hamid, then Additional SP Samba.

Pertinently, the Sub Inspector Neeraj Rometra and his subordinate (Munshi) namely Selection Grade Constable Kulbir Singh and sentry Mohammad Haneef were placed under suspension on August 28, 2017 for alleged 'dereliction of duties'.

A SIT was constituted by Inspector General of Police, Jammu zone, S D Singh Jamwal, after relatives of the victim brought the matter to his notice.

IGP Jammu was apprised that one Inderjeet was attacked by his nephew Daleep Kumar alias Deepa with a sharp edged weapon when the former was opening his shop at Supwal during wee hours on July 16 last year. The victim, when regained consciousness at the hospital told police that he was attacked by his nephew Deepa.
Deepa, however, had been arrested by police for threatening Inderjeet and he was lodged in the lockup at Supwal Police Post.

However during departmental probe Additional SP Adil Hamid interrogated Surinder and Birbal, two criminals from Pathankot, lodged in the same lockup where accused Deepa was lodged on the intervening night of July 15/16.

The duo revealed that Deepa was let off from the lockup by Sub Inspector Neeraj Kumar around 11.30 pm on July 15 and he later returned to the police post around 4 am next day with a ‘darat’ drenched in blood.

Based on the SIT report led by then Adll SP Samba Adil Hamid, the IGP Jammu SD Singh Jamwal dismissed the Sub Inspector Neeraj Rometra and his subordinate -Munshi namely Selection Grade Constable Kulbir Singh from the services while increment of the cop on sentry duty namely Mohd Hanief was stopped.