3 policemen held for stashing seized liquor bottles in Sultanganj police station in Patna

Patna: Three policemen were arrested on the charge of stashing 16 seized bottles of India-made foreign liquor (IMFL) inside the premises of a police station in Bihar where consumption, sale and storage of alcohol is banned, an officer said on Friday.

Another person who is not associated with the police was also arrested in connection with the incident that occurred in Sultanganj police station in Patna.

“Three policemen were arrested on the charges of stashing 16 bottles of seized liquor inside the premises of Sultanganj police station. They were arrested on Thursday. Departmental proceedings have been initiated against them,” City SP (East) K Ramdass told PTI.

The three were identified as Assistant Sub-Inspector Murari Kumar, Constable Nagendra Paswan and driver Shailesh Kumar. All were posted at Sultanganj police station.

“Police had arrested three persons for carrying 46 bottles of IMFL in a vehicle near Marine Drive under the jurisdiction of Sultanganj police station on January 14. Police officials brought all arrested persons to the police station but not the vehicle and its driver. They allowed the driver to go scot-free,” Ramdass said.

It was found during the course of investigation that 16 bottles of seized liquor were missing.

Further investigation was launched and the missing bottles were recovered in a bag hidden near a tree within the premise of Sultanganj police station, said the SP.

“Based on the findings of the investigation report, a case was registered against the police personnel and they were arrested. A fourth person was also arrested for assisting the policemen,” Ramdass said.

The Bihar government in 2016 enacted a prohibiting the manufacture, storage, transportation, sale, and consumption of liquor in the state.