Tirupati: Tirupati district superintendent of police (SP) L.Subba Rayudu on Tuesday announced suspension of four police personnel, including a sub-inspector, for their involvement in separate cases of misconduct.
As per the inquiries, SI P. Ravi Babu of Sullurupeta police station, while handling an attempt-to-murder case from 2021 to 2023, did not interrogate key eyewitnesses and the injured party. He allegedly went on to remove names of suspects from the case without informing the complainant and taking approval from superiors. Furthermore, the sub-inspector did not send crucial evidence collected from the crime scene to the Forensic Science Laboratory through the court, thereby compromising the integrity of the case.
In the second case, constable K. Balaji of Gajulamandyam police station is accused of accepting ₹2 lakh bribe from a Chinese national, who had overstayed despite his visa expiring. The foreign national had earlier been arrested in 2021 for possessing fake identity documents.
In the other two cases, the SP suspended home guard T. Giri of Tirupati Rural police station following charges that he extorted money from tractor drivers and let them transport illegal materials. Another home guard K. Raj Kumar of Alipiri police station has been suspended for making unauthorised phone calls to superiors and making false accusations against his colleagues.
While issuing the suspension orders, SP Subba Rayudu underlined that the police department is committed to maintain the highest standards of integrity and professionalism. He warned that any staff deviating from these standards will face swift and severe action, regardless of their rank or position within the force. "The police force must be above reproach," Rayudu maintained.
