In a sweeping administrative action, the entire staff of Fatehabad Sadar police station in Haryana has been transferred and its Station House Officer (SHO) booked after 160 cases of seized liquor allegedly disappeared from the station's storehouse, known as the malkhana. The unprecedented move comes just days after the Sirsa opium controversy led to action against several police personnel.
Mass Transfer and Criminal Charges
A total of 49 personnel, including SHO Inspector Prahlad Singh, have been removed from the police station. This is considered one of the largest administrative shake-ups in recent years in the district. Inspector Singh has been booked under Sections 256 and 316(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and sent to the police lines. The transferred staff includes seven sub-inspectors, three assistant sub-inspectors, 11 head constables, 16 constables, nine Special Police Officers (SPOs), and three employees of Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam (HKRN).
Inquiry Uncovers Discrepancy
The scandal came to light after a complaint reached the office of the Director General of Police (DGP), which was then forwarded to Fatehabad Superintendent of Police (SP) Nikita Khattar. Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Divyanshi Singla was assigned to investigate. During a physical verification of the malkhana, she discovered that 160 liquor cases recorded in official documents were missing. Based on the inquiry report, SP Khattar ordered immediate action.
According to preliminary findings, court permission had been obtained the previous month to destroy the seized liquor. However, investigators suspect that while the stock was shown as destroyed on paper, a portion may have been diverted or illegally disposed of. The probe will determine whether the liquor was sold and who may have been involved.
Origin of the Seized Liquor
The missing liquor was part of a consignment of 950 cases of English liquor seized from a truck near Ayalki village on March 1, 2024. The truck was allegedly transporting the liquor from Punjab to Gujarat. The consignment was deposited in the police station's malkhana after the driver was arrested.
Ironic Twist
In an ironic twist, Inspector Prahlad Singh had been honored by the district police just last week for his performance. Within days, he found himself at the center of a criminal case.
SIT Formed for Investigation
SP Khattar has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Jagdish Kajla to investigate the disappearance of the liquor. Officials stated that the SIT will examine possible collusion, fix accountability, and identify all those involved in the alleged tampering of seized property.
