In a major development, the Bengaluru Police on Wednesday suspended two policemen for allegedly leaking crucial information related to the Sandalwood drugs case. The suspended policemen are Assistant Commissioner of Police MR Mudhavi and Head Constable Mallikarjuna, who are attached to the women's protection wing of the Central Crime Branch (CCB).
According to Joint Commissioner (Crime) Sandeep Patil, "The CCB suspected that crucial information related to the Sandalwood drugs case was being leaked. We ordered an internal inquiry, in which concrete evidence was found against these two persons. Hence, they were suspended."
According to Patil, though the two suspended cops did not belong to the core investigation team probing the Sandalwood drugs case, they started leaking crucial information to the close associates of the accused persons.
"This is not only a breach of trust, but also amounts to an abuse of power on the part of Mudhavi," a note released by the CCB said.
Patil had recommended the suspension of Mudhavi to Bengaluru Police Commissioner Kamal Pant, who ratified it.
A report regarding the internal inquiry was submitted to Bengaluru Police Commissioner Kamal Pant. The CCB officials probing the drug case allegedly have recorded calls between the two police officers and the associates of the actors.
“We have WhatsApp chats and also recorded calls. There are calls where head constable Mallikarjun on behalf of the ACP had demanded money from one of the associates of an actor who was arrested. We conducted an inquiry after we got the audio of the recorded call,” a CCB source said.
When the CCB initially found the alleged call record, the officers are believed to have told the investigators that the money was demanded from Viren Khanna’s associate to allow him use of a mobile phone. “An internal investigation was launched and we found that the two officers were leaking information to the associates and we believe there was a deal for money. But we are gathering evidence to see if any money changed hands,” the CCB source added.
In its remand report for actor Ragini Dwivedi, to the 1st Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, the CCB had said that the Ragini Dwivedi’s associate, BK Ravi Shankar had allegedly been tipped off about the CCB’s probe into the drug racket.
The CCB had said that the accused had knowledge of the surveillance activities and also the CCB’s probe into actors Ragini Dwivedi and Sanjjana Galrani and their associates. The internal inquiry was launched soon after this information was revealed.
"I know my conscience is clear. I do not have to worry about anything. Whatever I know I have told them (the police). If they call me again, I don't mind coming like I have done on two occasions," Diganth told the media after his interrogation.
He added that the CCB has returned his phones which were seized during his last visit. "I have got my phones back," he said.
Watch: TNM Explainer on the Sandalwood Drug case