Chennai: Three policemen, including a sub-Inspector, were questioned on Friday by the City Police top brass to find out whether they had any truck with criminals in disposing of stolen Royal Enfield bikes.
The role of cops came to light as an offshoot of the investigations by Flower Bazaar Crime Wing probing into the sale of stolen bikes by a mechanic in M.K.B Nagar. The three cops — identified as SI Balamurugan and constables Karthik and Suresh — are attached to MKB Nagar Police station.
The cop trio feigned ignorance and claimed that they were not aware of the bikes being stolen ones and that they were tricked into buying them. “We are yet to ascertain their roles in the present racket. We would take action based on merits,” an official who was privy to the investigation said.
Flower Bazaar Police tracked the mechanic identified as Shah-In-Shah (30), who runs a shop in M.K.B Nagar X cross street. When confronted, the mechanic maintained that he only helped his friend who was into stealing bikes dispose of the vehicles.
Cops tracked his friend identified as Mohammed Shareef (30), a repeat offender and the latter cut himself using a blade after police arrived at his doorstep. He was subsequently admitted to the Government Stanley Hospital for treatment.
Preliminary investigations revealed that he had stolen as many as 16 bikes, all Royal Enfields. The suspect cop-trio disposed nine of the bikes reportedly stolen by Mohammed Shareef. The mechanic explained to the cops that he was a specialist in repairing Royal Enfield bikes, which came in handy in disposing bikes. “He would make copies of the registration book, which he could access from the bikes that were given for servicing. Forged documents will be made using the credentials of the serviced vehicles and the vehicles will be disposed,” a senior police official said.
The racketeers would also target Yamaha bikes and nine bikes were recovered from them. Efforts are on to trace the rest of the stolen vehicles.
