Task Force Recovers Suspended SI’s Pledged Revolver
Misplacing, losing, misusing or selling a service weapon is a major offence in the police department
Hyderabad: Seven special teams of the commissioner’s task force have recovered the 9 mm service pistol which suspended sub-inspector B. Bhanu Prakash Reddy had pledged to borrow money for online betting. The magazine, containing live rounds, is yet to be traced.
“Misplacing, losing, misusing or selling a service weapon is a major offence in the police department. The officer is liable for prosecution under the Arms Act, 1959. There is a strong possibility that Bhanu will be dismissed from service,” a police officer said.
Bhanu’s immediate senior officer, Amberpet station house officer T. Kiran Kumar, who failed to inform officials about the missing weapon, is also under scrutiny, the official said. Investigators suspect that Bhanu and the SHO may have allegedly sold some gold seized from a theft case involving a domestic help in June this year.
During questioning, Bhanu reportedly gave conflicting statements. Initially he said he had mortgaged his service pistol along with five tolas of gold in June, receiving `40,000 for the weapon and `2.8 lakh for the stolen jewellery seized in a domestic help theft case, police sources said.
“Bhanu tried to mislead us. We are well aware that no money lender accepts weapons or live rounds for pledging. Our teams are in Andhra Pradesh and we will soon recover the magazine and live rounds,” a task force officer stated, adding that he had been directed by officials to not provide details about the weapon.
Technical teams retrieved data from both of Bhanu’s mobile phones official and personal. Analysis of his CDR and chats revealed that Bhanu invested over `98 lakh in various online betting apps. Other teams are examining his bank statements, sources added.
A 2020-batch SI of Hyderabad zone, Bhanu is a native of Raichoti in Annamayya district (formerly Kadapa), Andhra Pradesh, and reportedly became addicted to online betting in 2018.
The case came to light after Bhanu was instructed to deposit his service pistol before reporting to his new job as assistant engineer (electricity department) in his native district in AP. He failed to do so.
During the investigation, it was found that Bhanu operated three bank accounts, and police have written to bank officials seeking his transaction history since 2018.
It is reported that the special branch, in-charge division ACP and zonal DCP are probing this angle and will submit a detailed report to the city police commissioner. Departmental action, depending on the sensitivity of findings, is likely against the SHO as well.
