Delhi: Cop suspended over video from lock-up

The Indian Express had first reported about the video — at the time, it was unclear whether it was shot in Mandoli Jail, where the brothers are lodged, or the Special Cell office, where they were taken in connection with another case between August 5 and 10.

The 24-second video purportedly shows four men sitting inside the police lock-up with Rahul and Naveen and consuming liquor, chips and other food items. (Twitter screengrab)

In what could lead to red faces within the Delhi Police, a sub-inspector posted with the Special Cell has been suspended — three days after a video came to light purportedly showing brothers Rahul Kala and Naveen Bali, associates of jailed gangster Neeraj Bawana, enjoying liquor and snacks inside the lock-up at its office in Lodhi Colony.

The Indian Express had first reported about the video — at the time, it was unclear whether it was shot in Mandoli Jail, where the brothers are lodged, or the Special Cell office, where they were taken in connection with another case between August 5 and 10. The DG Prisons had eventually said it was not from Mandoli Jail, while a separate inquiry was initiated to look into it and a report was submitted to the police headquarters.

Sources told The Indian Express the lock-up seen in the video is in the same Special Cell building complex that houses the offices of two ACPs, an additional DCP and the DCP (Special Cell). It was reconstructed around a year and a half ago.

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“In their enquiry report, the sub-inspector was held responsible for allowing people to meet the accused in lock-up. Senior officers from police headquarters are also assessing if there were supervision lapses,” said a police source.

Rahul and Naveen have been in Mandoli jail for the last five years. “They were re-arrested on August 5 by a team led by ACPs Hriday Bhushan and Lalit Mohan Negi in connection with a separate case and were taken on police remand by the Special Cell team. The two were allegedly hatching a conspiracy to eliminate a rival currently lodged in Rohini jail,” said the source.

The Indian Express has learnt that four men — Dushyant alias Monu Bajitpur, Amit Asoda, Sachin Barahi, and Mannu — came to meet the brothers and one of the visitors recorded the video. “He shared the video with his associates and posted it on social media. Special Cell personnel found out about the video and informed their seniors,” said a police source.

Special CP (Special Cell) Neeraj Thakur, DCP (Special Cell) Pramod Kushwah, and Delhi Police PRO Chinmoy Biswal did not respond to a query about the suspension of the sub-inspector. Biswal had said on Wednesday: “The video is not substantiated and liquor is not served in police lock-up.”

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DG (Delhi Prisons) Sandeep Goel had earlier said, “We looked into the matter and it seems the video is not from our jails.”

Mahender Singh Manral

Mahender Singh Manral is an Assistant Editor with the national bureau of The Indian Express. He is known for his impactful and breaking stories. He covers the Ministry of Home Affairs, Investigative Agencies, National Investigative Agency, Central Bureau of Investigation, Law Enforcement Agencies, Paramilitary Forces, and internal security. Prior to this, Manral had extensively reported on city-based crime stories along with that he also covered the anti-corruption branch of the Delhi government for a decade. He is known for his knack for News and a detailed understanding of stories. He also worked with Mail Today as a senior correspondent for eleven months. He has also worked with The Pioneer for two years where he was exclusively covering crime beat. During his initial days of the career he also worked with The Statesman newspaper in the national capital, where he was entrusted with beats like crime, education, and the Delhi Jal Board. A graduate in Mass Communication, Manral is always in search of stories that impact lives. ... Read More

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