PANJIM: Seven police officials including Police Inspector Ashish Shirodkar, who were among nearly 18 policemen to be suspended for their alleged nexus with the drug mafia in the state in 2010, were re-instated on Tuesday.
They have been re-instated despite an ongoing departmental inquiry against them.
As per the order signed by Deputy Inspector General of Police, Shirodkar, Police Sub Inspector Punaji Gawas, head constable Hussain Sheikh and constables Saish Pokle, Sanjay Parab, R S Kankonkar and Sandeep Parab have been posted to the Goa Reserve Police, Altinho.
The order reads, “…are hereby reinstated into service from suspension with immediate effect, without prejudice to any ongoing departmental action against them.”
Shirodkar, Sheikh, Pokle, Sanjay and Sandeep were suspended on March 5, 2010,
after Israeli national Yaniv Benaim aka Atala’s video, bragging of his strong links with the police, was leaked on video sharing sites.
The video, shot with a spy cam by his former girlfriend Lucky Farmhouse, resulted in the arrests of the policemen and Atala himself. Police investigations had also revealed that the tainted police team would often party at Atiopa Bar and Restaurant in Anjuna, and the bills would be paid by Atala.
CBI, investigating the case, is yet to file a chargesheet though it has chargesheeted two in other cases of police-drug dealer nexus where it was alleged that police had planted drugs on Israeli David Driham alias Dudu in a narcotics raid on February 22, 2010.
Gawas was suspended on May 12, 2010 and constable Kankonkar on March 17, 2010. Gawas, formerly holding the charge of the malkhana (store), was also arrested after Crime Branch that investigated the nexus before the probe was handed over to CBI, found that 24 kg of charas was missing from the store.
At the time when the cops came under the scanner, all were transferred to various police stations and units from anti-narcotics cell. The cell’s then Superintendent of Police Veenu Bansal’s role had also come under the scanner. However, the investigation agency has still not summoned him for questioning.
