7 cops suspended for allowing AIADMK 'middleman' to roam free

New Delhi, Oct 20: Seven Delhi Police personnel were suspended on Friday for allowing a person, named as a middleman in the AIADMK election symbol bribery case, to roam free while under police custody in Bengaluru, Delhi Police said.

Sukesh Chandrasekhar, the accused middleman, was under judicial custody and the Delhi Police had taken him to Bengaluru, Coimbatore, and Mumbai to be produced in courts there.

Chandrasekhar was arrested on April 16 from a Delhi hotel for allegedly taking money from AIADMK leader T.T.V. Dhinakaran to bribe Election Commission officials in connection with the dispute between two factions of the party over the poll symbol of Two Leaves.

On Friday, Delhi Police Chief Spokesperson Dependra Pathak said that "an unprofessional act on the part of certain policemen" had come to light and an inquiry had been ordered into the matter.

"In the meantime, the seven accused policemen have placed under suspension," the officer said, adding that "strictest possible action will be taken if they are found guilty".

Pathak alleged the "unprofessional act and corruption" came to light during the process of producing the accused in the courts.

A police officer told IANS that the incident occurred precisely between October 9 and 16 when Chandrasekhar was being taken to a court in Bengaluru.

Action was taken against the officers after the Income Tax Department submitted a report along with a video clip to the Delhi Police chief Amulya Patnaik.

In the video, Chandrasekhar was seen roaming freely in a shopping mall in Bengaluru.

The suspended police officers have been identified as Assistant Sub-Inspector Rajesh, Head Constables Jeevan and J. George and Constables Nitin Kumar, Keshav Kumar, Dharmender and Pushpendra -- all belonging to the 3rd Battalion of Delhi Police.