The Palakol Rural police have solved the case of theft in the Veeravasaram police station with the arrest of two constables. The police recovered ₹8.04 lakh that was deposited by the staff of government liquor shops in the police station, from the accused.
Two two constables, U. Gangajalam of Patha Pattiseema village and G. Ganeswara Rao alias Ganesh of Nallajarla mandal of West Godavari district, joined duty at the Veerasavaram police station a few days ago. They allegedly planned to commit theft in the police station and share the amount, said Superintendent of Police (SP) K. Narayan Naik.
The role of other staff who were on duty, and the night duty officers in the circle at the time of theft was under investigation. Disciplinary action would be taken against the negligent staff, the SP said.
Mr. Naik told newsmen on Saturday that Gangajalam joined service in 2013 in Chagallu police station. He worked in Velerupadu and Buttaigudem. The Polavaram police reportedly arrested the constable in a gambling case and he was suspended in November last year. He joined the Veeravasaram station on February 2.
Ganesh, who was suspended on corruption charges in Tadepalligudem police station, joined duty on December 23 last year.
The teams, led by Narsapuram DSP P. Veeranjaneya Reddy and Eluru Central Crime Station DSP Paideswara Rao, tracked the movements of the constables and arrested them on Saturday. The police seized the cash intact, broken locks, chain and seal papers behind the police station and recorded the statements of the accused.
The accused allegedly planned the theft on knowing that the liquor shop owners would deposit the cash owing to bank holidays. At 2 a.m. Gangajalam allegedly broke open the lock of the lock-up and brought out the iron box in which the money was kept. He removed the seal, broke open the lock of the box and took the cash. Later, he kept the iron box in the same lock-up and locked it with another lock.
The two constables allegedly shared the money and hid the cash in bushes near at Toorpu Cheruvu Centre in Veeravasaram. The movements of the accused were recorded in the CCTV footages, the SP said.
