Bhadrachalam ganja case: Excise CI, constable face departmental action

An excise CI and a constable have faced departmental action for allegedly altering and forging panchanama and other records in a Bhadrachalam ganja case. The action followed allegations that an accused escaped from the excise police station after being detained overnight.

Kothagudem: A prohibition and excise inspector as well as a constable faced action for allegedly altering and forging panchanama and other case records related to the arrest of two persons accused in a ganja case at Bhadrachalam excise police station in the district.

It was said that an excise enforcement team caught two ganja smugglers from Odisha on August 4 and handed over the accused to Bhadrachalam excise police station. The accused were supposed to be produced in court and remanded to judicial custody that same day.

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But, acting negligently, the excise Inspector assigned a constable to guard the two accused and kept them at the station overnight. Seizing the opportunity, one of the accused, Madhaba Hantal, escaped from the station during the early hours of August 5.

Alarmed at the development, the excise CI was said to have brought the matter to the attention of the excise Superintendent. Subsequently, the CI altered the panchanama report by forging the signatures of the enforcement officials to falsely indicate that only one person was arrested instead of two and misled the court by producing the single individual in court.

When the enforcement officials learned of this, they lodged a complaint with higher authorities. The Prohibition and Excise Commissioner, C Hari Kiran, in a memo dated August 24, ordered the suspension and initiation of departmental action against the excise CI, Shaik Rahimunnisa Begum, and constable Ch Ravi Kumar.

Further, the excise Superintendent, A Srinivas Reddy, who allegedly assisted CI Rahimunnisa Begum, was said to have been placed under attachment by duly assigning the responsibilities of in-charge excise Superintendent to S Janaiah, who earlier worked in Kothagudem.

On the other hand, there have been allegations of rampant corruption in the excise department in the district. Despite several complaints about the problems caused by unauthorised liquor outlets (belt shops) in residential areas, no action was being taken.