Reported by Mrinal Banik
Agartala: Four police personnel, including an inspector and a woman sub-inspector, were arrested in Tripura’s Khowai district for allegedly misappropriating a large quantity of seized Phensedyl cough syrup and concealing the actual seizure amount in official records, police sources said on Monday.
The accused were identified as Inspector Ajit Debbarma, second officer-in-charge of Teliamura police station, Sub-Inspector Rajendra Reang, Woman Sub-Inspector Shampa Das and Assistant Sub-Inspector Sachindra Debbarma, who was posted as the in-charge of the Special Branch unit in Teliamura.
According to police sources, the arrests followed a Crime Branch investigation into alleged irregularities in a recent anti-narcotics operation in Teliamura.
Investigators suspect that although a substantial quantity of Phensedyl bottles had been recovered during the raid, only 518 bottles were officially shown as seized in police records.
A senior police official said the probe was initiated after allegations surfaced that a portion of the seized contraband had allegedly been siphoned off instead of being deposited as case property.
“The matter came under scrutiny after discrepancies were noticed in the seizure records. A detailed inquiry was subsequently launched,” the official said.
Investigators are also examining possible links between the accused personnel and drug traffickers operating in the region.
“The possibility of a larger narcotics network behind the incident is being explored,” the official added.
A special Crime Branch team carried out the arrests late on Sunday night. The four accused were produced before a court in Khowai district on Monday, where investigators sought custodial remand for further interrogation.
Officials said Deputy Superintendent of Police (Anti-Narcotics) Paushadhan Rupini and Inspector Raghulal are supervising the investigation.
Police sources said Inspector Ajit Debbarma and SI Rajendra Reang had earlier been withdrawn from Teliamura police station and attached to the Khowai police lines on May 23 pending inquiry.
The remaining two accused were later detained and subjected to medical examination before being produced in court.
A case has been registered at Teliamura Police Station under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Sections 305, 306, 316(5) and 61, along with Section 21(c) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.