Bengaluru: A constable in Bengaluru has been suspended for negligence after an accused thief in police custody was found wearing his uniform. The accused reportedly donned the constable's uniform and made a video call to his wife, attempting to impress her.
The incident came to light a year later during a separate investigation, when a photo surfaced showing the accused wearing the police uniform while still in custody.
The constable has been identified as HR Sonar, from the Govindapura police station, was suspended following an investigation.
The accused has been identified as Saleem Sheikh alias Bombay Saleem, had put on Sonar's uniform while staying at a hotel under police supervision. Sheikh has been accused in more than 50 theft cases.
Earlier in 2024, when Saleem was arrested by the Govindapura police in connection with a burglary. As part of efforts to recover stolen jewelry, sarees, and other valuables, officers took him outside Bengaluru and lodged him at a hotel.
During a probe by the Indiranagar police into a theft case reported on June 23. While analysing CCTV footage and mobile phone data, police identified Saleem as being part of a gang involved in the case.
While checking Saleem’s mobile phone data, Indiranagar police found a screenshot from a WhatsApp video call in which he appeared dressed in a police uniform.
According to NDTV, Sonar and another constable left Saleem locked in the hotel room while they went shopping. In their absence, Saleem allegedly found Sonar's uniform in the room, put it on, and made a WhatsApp video call to his wife.
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